title: Salivary gland cancer in Finland 1991--96: an evaluation of 237 cases.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  In this material consisting of various salivary gland carcinomas, stage I, male gender and age were the most powerful predictors of patient outcome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To retrieve the records of all salivary gland cancer (SGC) patients diagnosed in Finland between 1991 and 1996 and to evaluate the incidence, histological type and location of SGC, the treatment given and the outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records for all SGCs (n =286) diagnosed in Finland between 1991 and 1996 and reported to the Finnish Cancer Registry were retrieved. The histological re-evaluation and retrospective study involved 237 SGC patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population consisted of 125 males and 112 females. The mean age was 59 years (males 61 years, females 58 years). Follow-up was at least 5 years. The commonest tumor location was the parotid gland (n = 152; 64%), followed by the minor salivary glands (n =46; 19%), the submandibular gland (n =38; 16%) and the sublingual gland (n = 1; 0.4%). The most frequent histological types of SGC were adenoid cystic carcinoma (n =65; 27%), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (n =45; 19%) and acinic cell carcinoma (n =41; 17%). Surgery, either alone or in combination with other treatment modalities, was used in 209 cases (88%). Radiotherapy was given to 136 patients (57%), 13 of whom (5%) did not undergo surgery. The 5-year overall survival rate was 56.5%, and for stages I-IV it was 78%, 25%, 21% and 23%, respectively (p <0.001; log-rank test). Of the commonest tumor types, the best 5-year relative survival rate was for patients with acinic cell carcinoma (96%), followed by those with mucoepidermoid (79%) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (74%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luukkaa
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klemi
authors.forename: Ilmo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leivo
authors.forename: Petri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koivunen
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laranne
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mäkitie
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Virtaniemi
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hinkka
authors.forename: Reidar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grénman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate