Canalicular adenoma: a case with review

Abstract
Salivary gland tumours are multifaceted and are quite uncommon lesions which are difficult to diagnose due to the ability of cells to differentiate and result in various type of histological patterns. Due to wide spectrum of histology, differentiating them and finally arriving at correct diagnosis is essential. Concept of origin, histogenesis and morphology aid in classifying salivary gland tumours along with predicting their prognosis. Canalicular adenoma is rare minor salivary gland tumour often tends to overlap with basal cell adenoma due to its common cell of origin. Canalicular adenoma can be misdiagnosed as malignant neoplasms such as polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma or benign basal cell adenoma. Correct differentiation should be done as it would implicate the treatment protocol. Hence, in the present article we have discussed a case of canalicular adenoma with emphasis on its classification, microscopic features and differential diagnosis.

Keywords: Adenoma, Canalicular adenoma, Basal cell adenoma, Salivary gland tumors, Benign