title: Pleomorphic adenomas of the lacrimal gland: a clinicopathological analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse retrospectively 32 cases of pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland diagnosed over a 10-year period in a tertiary referral eye centre from North India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical features of 32 cases of pleomorphic adenomas diagnosed between 1991 and 2000 were analysed and the histopathological features reviewed light microscopically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the clinical features, a marked male predominance with younger age of presentation and left-sided dominance was noted. The duration of symptoms was less than 10 months in 28% cases. Histopathologically, the features included presence of cystic degeneration (15.6%) and squamous metaplasia (18.7%). Calcification, osteoid formation and malignant transformation (3.1% each) were occasionally observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pleomorphic adenomas of the lacrimal gland may present with duration of symptoms of less than 10 months. Cystic degeneration, squamous metaplasia, calcification or ossification may be observed in lacrimal gland pleomorphic adenomas, as has been described in pleomorphic adenomas of salivary glands. However, the presence of calcification and bone erosion radiologically in a lacrimal gland tumour does not necessarily indicate malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ocular Pathology, Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Opthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Avinash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahindrakar
authors.forename: Subhash M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Betharia
authors.forename: Mandeep S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bajaj
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashyap
authors.forename: Supriyo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghose
mesh_terms: D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors