[Diagnosis, treatment and prognostic factors of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the palate].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the palate.


METHODS
A retrospective review was conducted in 42 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the palate treated in our hospital from 1967 to 1998. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were analyzed by Log Rank test.


RESULTS
The overall 5-, 10-, 15-year accumulative survival rates were 85.0%, 61.8% and 28.1%, and the 5-, 10-, 15-year accumulative disease-free survival rates were 52.4%, 32.7% and 22.4%, respectively. The 5-, 10-, 15-year accumulative local recurrence rates were 25.2%, 50.9% and 73.1%, and the 5-, 10-, 15-year accumulative distant metastasis rates were 28.5%, 50.4% and 66.0% respectively. T stage, bone invasion, extent of tumor, local recurrence and distant metastasis were significant prognostic factors. Treatment method, dose and area covered by radiotherapy were related to the prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgery alone can be done for early lesions, and combination of surgery with radiotherapy should be adopted for advanced lesions in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the palate. Radiotherapic salvage could prolong the survival of the locally recurrent patients.
Liu
Wen-Sheng
WS
Department of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College 100021, China. lwsdoctor@yahoo.com.cn
Tang
Ping-Zhang
PZ
Qi
Yong-Fa
YF
Gao
Li
L
Li
Zheng-Jiang
ZJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010157:Palatal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010159:Palate / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate