title: [Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck--a 10 years experience].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) was first described in 1853 and 1854 by three french scientists, Robin, Lorain and Laboulbène. ACC is a rare cancer of the head and neck (about 1%) and it comprises from 6% to 10% of all malignant tumors of the salivary glands. 15%–30% of these tumors are located in submandibular gland, 30% occur in small salivary glands (in the palate, tongue, mouth, nose, sinuses, mucous membrane of the cheeks) and about 6% in parotid gland. Because of its specificity ACC is a challenge for the doctor – it is usually recognized at an advanced stage, spreads along the nerves, it has a high propensity for recurrence, often gives distant metastases, 10-year survival are very small.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Aim of this study is the epidemiological and clinical analysis of patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Includes a retrospective analysis of 21 cases of patients with ACC of the head and neck were hospitalized at the ENT Clinic of the Warsaw Medical University between 2001 and 2011. Data from medical records contain information about the location of the tumor, symptoms and clinical signs, diagnostic methods, method of treatment and local recurrences and distant metastases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  most cases ACC occurred in the large salivary glands (14 cases), in 5 cases in the nasal cavity and maxillofacial region, in 2 cases in the tongue. In order to accurately determine the extent of the tumor, its relationship to adjacent structures was performed computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Most of patients before treatment have been made biopsy of the tumor or download tissues by forceps for histopathological examination. Reported symptoms depend on the location of the tumor. In 20 cases the patients were treated by surgical therapy and followed by radiotherapy, in one case because of the extent of the tumor was sent to radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical treatment of ACC requires a wide margin of healthy tissues; For the risk of local recurrences affected positive surgical margins, skull base locations of primary tumor and perineural invasion; Because of unpredictable nature of the tumor (local recurrences, distant metastasis), observation of patients after treatment should be carried out permanently, along with periodic imaging studies.
authors: Katedra i Klinika Otolaryngologii Warszawskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego. antek@amwaw.edu.pl
authors: Antoni
authors: A
authors: Bruzgielewicz
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Osuch-Wójcikiewicz
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Majszyk
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Chęciński
authors: Jagna
authors: J
authors: Nyckowska
authors: Brygida
authors: B
authors: Zawadzka
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Skowrońska-Gardas
authors: Kazimierz
authors: K
authors: Niemczyk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011044:Poland; D011379:Prognosis; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult