Angioleiomyoma of the hard palate: Report of a case and review of literature

Angioleiomyoma is a benign soft tissue tumor rarely observed in oral cavity. We report a case of angioleiomyoma in the midline of the hard palate. A 55-year-old Japanese male was referred to our hospital with a tumor in the midline of the hard palate. The tumor, measuring 10 mm × 7 mm × 6 mm, was observed as a pedunculated and elasticity mass. Magnetic resonance images revealed homogeneously enhanced neoplasm. Under a clinical diagnosis of a benign tumor of the hard palate, the lesion was resected surgically with inclusion of healthy tissue under local anesthesia. Histological examination revealed that the tumor consisted mainly of a proliferation of spindle cells resembling vascular smooth muscle cell. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for desmin, α-smooth muscle actin and muscle-specific actin (HHF-35) and negative for S-100 protein. From these findings, the tumor was diagnosed as an angioleiomyoma. There has been no recurrence for 1 year after the operation.