Clear Cell

¿Clear cell¿ as the name suggests that these are cells having a clear or vacuolated cytoplasm around the nucleus which may remain round or oval in the center or may be flattened against the cell membrane.Clear cell changes have been identified in various benign and malignant tumors of epithelial, melanocytic, Mesenchymal and hematopoietic origin but are perceived as a rare occurrence in the head and neck region. Clear cell tumours in the head and nechkregion constitute a diagnostic challenge to the pathologist since the prime features of malignant neoplasia along with cytological atypia are frequently absent even in aggressive variants thereby excluding reliance on histopathological hallmark for arriving at a diagnosis. Thus, definitive differential diagnosis of clear cell tumors must incorporate not only the benign but also malignant variants with phenotype of the cell seen on histopathology.