Benign Tumors
Oral Lipoma
Benign tumour of mature adipocytes; the commonest mesenchymal soft-tissue neoplasm but comparatively rare in the oral cavity.
§ figuresFigures (4)
Fig. 1Lipoma removed from a 24 year old patient with Familial Multiple Lipomatosis.
“Lipoma removed from a 24 year old patient with Familial Multiple Lipomatosis” · JR3336 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Fig. 2Lipoma
“Lipoma 02” · Sikander Iqbal · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Fig. 3Lipomas removed from the arm of a patient with familial multiple lipomatosis
“Lipomas removed from the arm of a patient with familial multiple lipomatosis” · JR3336 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Verified open-access images only, reproduced for education under their stated licences · no AI-generated or illustrative artwork · Oral Lipoma figures pending faculty review.
§ overviewOverview
Benign neoplasm composed of mature adipose tissue enclosed by a thin fibrous capsule.
§ icdICD Classification
D17
§ epidemiologyEpidemiology
Oral lipoma <5% of head-neck lipomas; adults 40–60 y; buccal mucosa most common.
§ clinicalClinical Features
- 01Soft, yellow, dome-shaped, freely mobile submucosal mass
- 02Painless, slow-growing
- 03Positive 'slip sign'
§ differentialDifferential Diagnosis
- 01Mucocele
- 02Fibroma
- 03Salivary gland tumour
- 04Dermoid cyst
§ histopathHistopathology
- 01Lobules of mature adipocytes with peripheral nuclei separated by fibrous septa; thin capsule
§ investigationsInvestigations
- 01Clinical diagnosis usually; USG or MRI for deep lesions (fat-signal hyperintense on T1)
§ classificationClassification
- 01Classical lipoma
- 02Fibrolipoma
- 03Angiolipoma
- 04Spindle-cell lipoma
- 05Pleomorphic lipoma
- 06Intramuscular lipoma
§ treatmentTreatment
- 01Conservative surgical excision with capsule — curative
§ complicationsComplications
- 01Recurrence very rare after complete excision
§ prognosisPrognosis
Excellent; malignant transformation to liposarcoma exceedingly rare (except atypical lipomatous variants).
§ examKey Examination Points
- 01Slip sign, yellow hue transilluminates
- 02MRI shows fat signal
§ revisionQuick Revision Summary
- 01Adipocyte tumour · buccal mucosa · excision curative
§ vivaBDS Viva Questions
- 01Slip sign?
- 02MRI fat signal?
- 03Variants of lipoma?
§ mcqsMCQs — Assessment (3)
Question 1
Commonest oral site:
Question 2
Treatment:
Question 3
MRI signal on T1:
§ evidenceReferences & Evidence
Current Classification
WHO Classification of Head and Neck Tumours
5th Edition — Volume 9
WHO Classification of Tumours Editorial Board · 2022
The authoritative international classification of head and neck, odontogenic and salivary gland tumours. Current terminology on this site follows this edition.
Evidence summary
Highest level of evidence linked to this page: WHO / Official Classification.
- L1 · Classification — 2
- L6 · Textbook — 3
1 linked source was published from 2024 onwards. Where guidance is limited or contested, rely on the higher-level sources above rather than this summary. Educational use only — not a substitute for clinical judgement.
Content last reviewed
September 2026
Evidence last reviewed
September 2026
Next scheduled review
September 2027
Review status
EVIDENCE REVIEWED
Search latest PubMed evidence
Last literature search: 7 September 2026
Current Classification
WHO Classification of Tumours Editorial Board. IARC / World Health Organization · 2022
The authoritative international classification of head and neck, odontogenic and salivary gland tumours. Current terminology on this site follows this edition.
IARC / WHO. IARC · 2022
Continuously updated online edition of the WHO head and neck tumour classification.
Histopathology References
Barnes L. CRC Press · 2008
Detailed histopathological reference for head and neck diagnostic criteria.
Textbook References
Neville BW, Damm DD, Allen CM et al.. Elsevier · 2024
Standard reference textbook of oral and maxillofacial pathology used throughout this atlas.
Rajendran R, Sivapathasundharam B. Elsevier · 2020
Undergraduate and postgraduate oral pathology textbook widely used in BDS and FCPS curricula.
Additional sources cited on this page
- Neville BW. Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology, 4e
Draft — pending faculty review. Educational use only; verify against current guidelines and primary sources before clinical application.