Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submandibular gland: a 35-year review.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the treatment results of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the submandibular gland at a single institution during a 35-year period.


METHODS
A retrospective review was performed by examining the records and reviewing the pathology of 22 patients with ACC of the submandibular gland treated at UCLA Medical Center from June 1963 to December 1997.


RESULTS
Seven men and 15 women with an age range of 23 to 85 years (median, 48 years) were treated. Surgical intervention was performed in 21 patients. All patients with advanced tumor size, perineural invasion, microscopically positive surgical margins, or regional neck metastases received postoperative adjunctive therapy, primarily radiotherapy. Follow-up varied from 6 months to 181 months (median, 67 months). Disease-free survival at 3, 5, and 10 years was 66%, 57%, and 41% respectively, whereas overall survival was 76%, 70%, and 37%, respectively (note: 5- and 10-year survival rates are not statistically conclusive due to the small sample size).


CONCLUSIONS
We report fairly high disease-free survival rates in this patient population and a number of prognostic trends are evident. Early diagnosis, wide surgical intervention, and postoperative radiation are associated with a favorable prognosis. Advanced tumor size, positive surgical margins, perineural invasion, and local recurrence of the tumor are associated with an unfavorable prognosis.


METHODS
C.
Cohen
Alen N
AN
Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095-1624, USA. alcohen@ucla.edu
Damrose
Edward J
EJ
Huang
Robert Y
RY
Nelson
Scott D
SD
Blackwell
Keith E
KE
Calcaterra
Thomas C
TC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013365:Submandibular Gland Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome