A case of malignant myoepithelioma with destruction of maxillary bone

Malignant myoepithelioma is an uncommon malignant tumor newly adopted as a separate entityin the revised WHO classification of salivary gland tumors (1991).We report a case of malignant myoepithelioma with destruction of maxillary bone. A 75-year-oldwoman was referred to our hospital because of swelling of the right side of the palate. Computed.tomography showed a tumor with destruction of the right side of the maxilla. Biopsy suggested a malignantsalivary gland tumor. We removed the tumor under general anesthesia. Histologically, the tumor consistedmainly of solid sheets of ovoid cells and plasmacytoid cells with clear cytoplasm. The histopathologicdiagnosis was malignant myoepithelioma. The patient's postoperative course has been good, with noevidence of recurrence as of about 3 years after operation.