Intraoral minor salivary gland tumors: a retrospective study of 62 cases in a Venezuelan population

From 1968 to 1992 sixty-two cases of tumors of minor salivary glands were diagnosed from a Venezuelan population at the Oral Histopathology Laboratory of the Central University of Venezuela School of Dentistry. The diagnosis of individual tumors was based on the 1991 World Health Organization classification. Tumors were analyzed considering histological type, age and sex of the patient, and intraoral location. Pleomorphic adenomas constituted the most common histological diagnosis of the benign sample (71%). and 62% of the malignant tumors were diagnosed as mucoepidermoid carcinomas. The principal location was the palate, and a marked female prevalence was observed. Geographic differences appear to exist when compared with results of studies representing a cross-section of different world population groups.