Summer, 2004

The Summer issue of E-PIE and July’s Case of the Month are dedicated to oral salivary gland pathology. A variety of lesions are discussed, ranging from a reactive one, necrotizing sialometaplasia to a malignant neoplasm, adenoid cystic carcinoma. The oral cavity and surrounding anatomic structures are rich with minor and major salivary gland tissue that plays a major role in keeping the oral cavity, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system and other locations fully lubricated and functional. We do not appreciate what saliva and tears do for us until we start experiencing dry mouth and dry eyes—at times it can be quite debilitating to be suffering of low salivary or tear flow. Causes of such symptoms are discussed in News in Brief. Salivary gland tissue is also capable of undergoing neoplastic ch.anges—some benign but locally aggressive and others malignant and can metastasize. The July Case of the Month is dedicated to one of these neoplasms. The Clinical Case Discussion section of this newsletter is dedicated to a reactive salivary gland lesion that can be both clinically and histologically mistaken for a malignant neoplasm leading to unnecessary overtreatment that can be easily avoided if the dentist, surgeon and pathologists are familiar with this entity. The Diagnostic Tests section of this issue covers salivary gland stones commonly seen in the elderly population most commom in the submandibular gland. We end the newsletter with the Miscellaneous section, which is appropriately dedicated to Independence Day facts that you will find as enlightening as we at the Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology Biopsy Service did. We wish you all a happy Fourth of July.

Thank you, and have a Happy Summer!
Dolphine Oda, BDS, MSc
Oral Pathologist, University of Washington OMPS