title: Primacy of surgery in the management of mucoepidermoid carcinoma in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epithelial salivary gland neoplasms are rare in children. Malignant tumors account for 30% to 50% of cases in the pediatric age group, with mucoepidermoid carcinoma as the most common histology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective medical record review was conducted from 1953 to 2007 to identify patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma at the age of 18 years or younger at the time of diagnosis. Forty-nine patients were identified. Their medical records were examined for presentation, treatment, pathologic features, and outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine pediatric patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma were identified. The parotid gland (49%) and oral cavity (35%) were the most common subsites. Nodal metastasis was seen in 24% of patients. All patients underwent surgery, and 11 patients (22%) were treated with radiation therapy. The 5-year overall survival was 98%, the 10-year overall survival was 94%, and 10% of patients developed recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mucoepidermoid carcinoma in children carries a favorable prognosis and can be successfully treated with surgery alone in most cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Jesse T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Adel K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: El-Naggar
authors.forename: Winston
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Ehab Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: Randal S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kupferman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*