Malignant tumours of the minor salivary glands: a survival analysis of 17 years from a tertiary referral cancer centre.
BACKGROUND
Malignant tumours of the minor salivary glands are rare and constitute less than 0.5% of all malignant neoplasms.


OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out to evaluate the clinical presentation, site distribution, treatment, survival and predictors of survival in malignant minor salivary gland tumours.


METHODS
A tertiary care, superspeciality referral hospital.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis.


METHODS
Forty-two cases of minor salivary gland tumours treated over a period of 17 years were reviewed for clinical presentation, histopathology, stage distribution, treatment and treatment outcome.


METHODS
Survival by Kaplan Meier Method and the outcomes were compared using log-rank test.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 46.9 years with a male to female ratio of 1.4:1. Majority of the patients presented with a painless progressive swelling, with 13 (31%) of them in T2 stage. About one-third of the patients had palpable lymph nodes at presentation, while none had distant metastasis. Palate was the commonest site and mucoepidermoid carcinoma was the commonest hispathological type. About 1/3 of the patients were treated with primary surgery and were followed up by adjuvant radiotherapy. Seven patients underwent palliative treatment alone. Over a mean follow-up of 30 months, 5 patients failed. The disease free survival was 72% at 5-year, none of the factors studied were found to significantly influence survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of the present study suggest that minor salivary gland tumours should be treated with primary surgery irrespective of site and histological type to achieve best loco-regional control and survival.
Pandey
M
M
Department of Surgical Oncology, Regional Cancer Centre, Medical College P.O. Thiruvananthapuram - 695 011, India. manojpandey@rcctvm.org
Thomas
S
S
Mathew
A
A
Nair
M K
MK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010159:Palate / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome