A Clinical Analysis of 37 Cases of Minor Salivary Gland Carcinoma

Abstract

Primary neoplasms, (n = 37), originating in the minor salivary glands of patients who visited our hospitals during the past 20 years, were investigated. Histologic types were adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 19), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (n = 14), and adenocarcinoma (n = 4). The sites of origin were the oral cavity (14), the paranasal sinuses (11), the oropharynx (7), the nasal cavity (3), the larynx (1), and unknown (1). Using TNM staging criteria used for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, there were 3 stage I,7 stage II,14 stage M,10 stage 1V without distant metastasis, and 3 stage 1V with distant metastasis (lung). Accordingly, many patients were in the advanced stages. The major treatment modality employed was radical excision, along with adjuvant radiation when residual tumors were suspected. The overall 5- and 10- year survival rates were 63.8% and 60.9%, respectively. The prognostic factors influencing survival were disease stage, T factor, N factor, histologic grade, site of origin, and degree of therapeutic efficacy.