MIXED tumors of salivary gland origin are considered uncommon. They are said to occur even less commonly in the palate. However, during the past four years I have observed seven patients with this type of tumor in the palate. The purpose of this paper is to present these seven cases and to discuss briefly tumors of salivary gland origin.
HISTORICAL REVIEW
Although mixed tumor of the salivary gland was first described in 1752, it was not until 1859 that Bilroth * described it as a clinical entity. He discussed the surgical pathology of these tumors so completely that little has been added since to the anatomic and clinical picture. Bilroth characterized them as painless, slowly growing, often multiple, encapsulated tumors, either soft or hard, depending on the relative amounts of mucoid or cartilaginous stroma. He noted that they persistently recurred after surgical removal, but metastasis was rare. He described the articulate