OBJECTIVE The diagnosis of polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA) of salivary glands remains difficult for general surgical pathologists. In an effort to understand the morphological heterogeneity of these neoplasms and facilitate their recognition we reviewed the architectural patterns, cell differentiation and immunohistochemical features of 17 case of PLGA. RESULTS There were 11 females and six males with a mean age of 58 years. Twelve tumours were located in the palate, two in the posterior third of the tongue, and one each in the upper lip, buccal mucosa and retromolar triangle. Two patients presented with neck metastases. The mean tumour size was 20 mm (range 6-50 mm). The tumour cells were arranged in five architectural patterns: tubules and small duct-like structures; cords and trabeculae; solid nests; cribriform areas and papillae. Twelve (71%) cases were composed of a combination of tubules and small duct-like structures, cords and trabeculae, and solid nests. Cribriform areas with pseudoluminal spaces were seen in six (35%) cases. A focal papillary pattern was evident in three cases and constituted 40% of the tumour in one. Perineural invasion was seen in 13 cases (76%). All cases studied were positive for CAM5.2, 34BE12, vimentin and S100 protein and showed overexpression of bcl-2 protein. Rb protein was present in 13 cases whereas p53 expression was absent in all cases. The average proliferation index (PI) was 7% (range 1-17%). Three patients developed local recurrences with cervical lymph node metastases but no patient died as result of tumour. No morphological features were found to be prognostic for the development of local recurrences or lymph nodes metastases. CONCLUSIONS PLGA is a distinctive neoplasm of salivary glands formed by luminal and nonluminal tumour cells with limited patterns of architectural differentiation. The relative proportion of these cells seems to play a significant role in the morphogenesis of these tumours. The overexpression of the bcl-2 protein and the low PI suggest that inhibition of programmed cell death may be involved in the oncogenesis of PLGA.