study the histopathologic features and pathogenesis of mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT oma) of salivary glands Methods Clinical data, paraffin embedded sections, immunohistochemical slides (SP method) and electron microscopic features of surgical specimens of 32 cases of salivary gland MALT oma were studied Results The patients were 27 males and 5 females, with a mean age of 54 76 years The lesions were located in the parotid area in 17 cases, and in the submandibular gland in the remaining 15 cases Much of the MALT oma was replaced by infiltration of a great amount of centrocyte like cells (CCL) as background and occasional large cells (centroblast or immunoblast like) In MALT omas “lymphoepithelial lesions“ were present Immunohistochemically, CD20 expression was found to be positive and CD45RO expression was negative in all MALT omas Conclusion Most of the MALT omas are low grade malignant tumors and have a “homing back” phenomenon The cases were managed by surgery and chemotherapy In a few MALT omas which turned into high grade malignant tumors, the prognosis was poor Acquired MALT may develop as a reaction to autoimmune disease and infection Hyper immune reaction and MALT hyperplasia under stimulation may result in myoepithelial sialadenitis and lead to MALT oma of the salivary gland study the histopathologic features and pathogenesis of mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT oma) of salivary glands Methods Clinical data, paraffin embedded sections, immunohistochemical slides (SP method) and electron microscopic features of surgical specimens of 32 cases of salivary gland MALT oma were studied Results The patients were 27 males and 5 females, with a mean age of 54 76 years The lesions were located in the parotid area in 17 cases, and in the submandibular gland in the remaining 15 cases Much of the MALT oma was replaced by infiltration of a great amount of centrocyte like cells (CCL) as background and occasional large cells (centroblast or immunoblast like) In MALT omas “lymphoepithelial lesions” were present Immunohistochemically, CD20 expression was found to be positive and CD45RO expression was negative in all MALT omas Conclusion Most of the MALT omas are low grade malignant tumors and have a “homing back” pheno menon The cases were managed by surgery and chemotherapy In a few MALT omas which turned into high grade malignant tumors, the prognosis was poor Acquired MALT may develop as a reaction to autoimmune disease and infection Hyper immune reaction and MALT hyperplasia under stimulation may result in myoepithelial sialadenitis and lead to MALT oma of the salivary gland