title: Management of malignant sublingual salivary gland tumors.
abstract: The majority of tumors of the sublingual gland are malignant, with adenoid cystic carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma being the most frequent. Many other malignant tumor types have also been reported. The sublingual gland anatomically is not a unit organ and while it is described anatomically as being confined to the anterior floor of the mouth, salivary tissue may be located laterally along the submandibular duct and posterior floor of the mouth. Diagnosis should be suspected when any thickening or raised lesion presents in this area and a biopsy performed to confirm malignancy before planning further treatment. Surgery is the treatment of choice, and should include an en-block resection of the anterior floor of mouth as a minimum, and may include a portion of mandible, as well as a supraomohyoid neck dissection. Adjuvant radiotherapy should be considered in most of the patients after surgical excision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Udine, Udine, Policlinico Universitario, Piazzale S Maria della Misericordia, I-33100 Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rinaldo
authors.forename: Ashok R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Shaha
authors.forename: Phillip K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Pellitteri
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferlito
mesh_terms: D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D013362:Sublingual Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*