Abstract
To analyze factors in parotid gland carcinoma influencing disease-specific survival, we retrospectively reviewed 33 cases treated by surgery from 1998 to 2008. According to UICC/2002 TNM Classification, 1 subject was stage I, 11 stage II, 3 stage III, and 18 stage IV. We analyzed the influence of selected factors on the 3-year disease-specific survival using the Kaplan-Meier actuarial method and the log-rank test. They included 12 with low-grade malignancy carcinoma and 21 with high-grade malignancy carcinoma based on 2005 WHO classification. Of the 33, 12 patients had mucoepidermoid carcinoma, 4 adenocarcinoma NOS, 3 squamous cell carcinoma, 5 carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenocarcinoma, 4 salivary duct carcinoma, and 5 patients other pathology. In other results, 13 had recurrences, 7 local or neck recurrence, and 9 metastasis. Stage (p=0.048), pathological grade (p=0.038), + lymph nodes (p=0.0048) and preoperative facial nerve palsy (p=0.043) affected prognosis negatively. The 3-year disease-specific survival was 100% for low-grade malignancy and 79% for high-grade malignancy. Preoperative rates of >45 years old, male, preoperative facial palsy and lymph node metastasis in those with high-grade malignancy were significantly higher than low-grade malignancy (p<0.05). Our results suggest that the pathological grade is the most important prognostic factor and that above preoperative clinical findings may be helpful for estimating the grade of malignancy.
