A Clinical Analysis of Patients with Major Salivary Gland Cancer

Abstract

A retrospective study was performed on 40 patients with malignant major salivary gland tumors treated with surgery between 1979 and 1991. Nineteen cases were located in the parotid gland ; 18 in the submandibular gland, and three in the sublingual gland. The most common histological type was adenoid cystic carcinoma (38%) . The cervical lymph node involvement (N+) was recognized in 30. 5%. Five-year and ten-year survival rates were 46%, 46% for the parotid gland and 53%, 11% for the submandibular gland, respectively. The locoregional recurrence rates were superior with the submandibular gland vs. the parotid gland (19% vs . 50%, respectively) the difference was not statistically significant . Five-year survival rates were 18% for the patients with clinical N+ and 63% for the patients with clinical N0. Locoregional recurrence rates were 64% for the patients with clinical N + and 17% for the patients with clinical N0. These were statistically significant difference (<0.05) . Prognosis of the cases of cervical lymph node involvement was remarkably poor . Distant metastases developed in 30% of our patients following treatment and developed despite locally controlled desease. Not only locoregional control with surgery but also adjuvant therapy to prevent distant metastases are essential to obtain better prognosis.