Abstract
This retrospective study reviewed 55 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck who were treated with radiotherapy for primary sites between 1980 and 1998 The treatment modality consisted of radiotherapy combined with surgery in 44 patients and radiotherapy without surgery in 11 Chemotherapy was also administered to 9 operated and 6 unoperated patients The range of prescribed doses was 25-65 Gy (median 50 Gy) for patients who underwent surgery, and 60-70 Gy (median 65 Gy) for those who did not Local failure occurred in 16 patients (29%), and 20 (36%) developed distant metastasis, which were common types of failure Although not statistically significant different, local relapse free rates of early stage tumors were better than those of advanced stage tumors (p=0.08) The local relapse free rates were influenced by the primary sites (major vs minor salivary glands) (p=0.04) These factors, however, had no impact on survival Three patients developed recurrences in the skull base probably through perineural spread Neck failure was also uncommon type of recurrence, occurring in only two patients We also discuss elective irradiation to the neck nodes and the skull base.
