Selected recent advances in the pathology of salivary neoplasms

This review concentrates on significant developments in salivary pathology since the 2005 WHO classification was written.
• Sclerosing polycystic adenosis is a rare lesion often mistaken histologically for carcinoma. Previously thought to be a reactive fibro-inflammatory process, recent evidence of clonality suggests it may be neoplastic.
• Histological grading of mucoepidermoid carcinoma has been shown to have clinical relevance, but it is not clear yet which is the best method. Also, other prognostic indices, particularly MIB1 proliferation may be useful in practice.
• Epithelial–myoepithelial carcinoma has been known as mainly a clear cell tumour, but it has now been recognized to have a much wider spectrum of histological appearances.
• Various morphological variants of salivary duct carcinoma have been described, and a possibly clinically significant molecular classification has been proposed.
• The relationship between low-grade cribriform cystadenocarcinoma and salivary duct carcinoma remains unclear.