The diagnosis of basaloid tumors of the salivary glands can be challenging. In most cases, conventional histologic examination, if carried out meticulously, will be sufficient. Yet, immunohistochemistry will be of help for the definition of purely myoepithelial tumors, basaloid squamous cell carcinomas, and canalicular adenomas. The differential diagnosis of canalicular adenoma, basal cell adenoma and basal cell adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma, myoepithelial tumors, epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma, and basaloid squamous cell carcinoma is discussed.
