Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of salivary glands in the pediatric age group: 18 clinical cases, including 11 second malignant neoplasms.
BACKGROUND
Salivary gland tumors represent 1% of head and neck tumors, with only 5% of these occurring in patients younger than 20 years. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is one of the most frequent salivary gland cancers among adults and children.


METHODS
This survey was conducted among 34 French pediatric oncology departments. From 1980 to 2000, 18 cases were reported.


RESULTS
Treatment included surgery or radiotherapy, or both. The 5-year survival rate was 93.7%. Eleven patients had been previously treated by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy for a first malignant tumor, specifically, lymphoid leukemia (n = 4), lymphoma (n = 3), brain tumor (n = 2), sarcoma (n = 1), and retinoblastoma (n = 1).


CONCLUSIONS
MEC is very rare in the pediatric age group. Treatment involves surgical removal of the tumor plus radiotherapy, according to histologic staging. MEC has a good prognosis in young patients. The survival rate does not differ in the subgroup of patients with MEC as a secondary tumor.
Védrine
Pierre Olivier
PO
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hôpital Les Broussailles, Cannes, France. vedrine@yahoo.fr
Coffinet
Laurent
L
Temam
Stéphane
S
Montagne
Karine
K
Lapeyre
Michel
M
Oberlin
Odile
O
Orbach
Daniel
D
Simon
Claude
C
Sommelet
Danièle
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018302:Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial / Q000473:pathology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000473:pathology; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy