Of 209 cases of pleomorphic adenoma treated in a 30 year period, 38 were secondary referrals with recurrent disease following surgery. Of these, 25 were women and 13 men with a mean time to recurrence of 9 years 4 months. Thirty-four recurrences were in the parotid gland. three in the submandibular gland and one in the anterior faucial pillar.Seven patients were untreated due to poor general condition or refusal of further treatment. Of the remainder, 15 had superficial parotidectomy and excision of the scar and nine a total parotidectonly. Three of these had extensive surgery with local flap repair. Of the patients with submandibular gland recurrence, two had local excision and one was treated with radiotherapy alone. One patient had a recurrence in the laucial pillar. Three patients developed malignant change in the recurrent tumour. of whom one died of disease.