A 64-year-old female had an adenoid cystic carcinoma (cribriform type) in the parapharyngeal space. The tumor was extirpated through a midline mandibulotomy.
Twenty two patients with parapharyngeal space tumors were treated from 1960 to 1990. Malignant tumors were found in 8 (36.4%). This is a higher rate of malignancy than in other reports. Eighteen adenoid cystic carcinomas were found during the same time, and we could follow 12 patients.
We think that an important prognostic factor is the clinical stage. Five-year, 10-year and 15-year survival rates were 77.8, 64.8 and 32.4%, respectively, in our 12 patients. Six had distant metastases, with lungs probably the most common site.
