Treatment of carcinoma of the parotid gland: the results of a multicenter study.
OBJECTIVE
This study analyzed the prognostic factors for carcinoma of the parotid gland and the role of surgery alone or with radiotherapy in treating these lesions.


METHODS
Forty-five patients with malignant parotid tumors were studied retrospectively. Patients were treated by combined surgery and radiation therapy between 1984 and 1995 at the Maxillo-Facial Departments of the General Hospitals of Bologna and Parma. Resection was conservative when possible, depending on the extent of the tumor. The median follow-up time was 54 months. Data regarding incidence, tumor stage and grade, local control, distant metastases (calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method), and survival were analyzed. Cox's multiple linear regression was used to identify patient and tumor characteristics with the greatest prognostic significance.


RESULTS
The actuarial 5- and 8-year disease-free survival rates were 81% and 62%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor stage was a more prognostic variable than tumor grade. Residual microscopic disease at the excision margins was also an important prognostic variable. Laterocervical metastases affected 4 patients (9%), and distant metastases appeared in 8 patients (18%).


CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative irradiation is indicated for patients with stage III and IV disease, patients with positive excision margins, and for patients with lymph node metastases.
Tullio
A
A
Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Hospital of Parma, Italy.
Marchetti
C
C
Sesenna
E
E
Brusati
R
R
Cocchi
R
R
Eusebi
V
V
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016014:Linear Models; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000473:pathology; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate