title: Head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma: a curious association with second primary malignancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We noticed that a significant proportion of our patients with head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma (HNMEC) had second primary malignancies. To our knowledge, such an association has never been described. The aim of our study is to elucidate the association between second primary malignancies and HNMEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series with chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included all patients with histologically proven HNMEC managed in the Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, from January 2003 through December 2013. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-seven patients with HNMEC were identified. Fourteen (24.6%) had second primary malignancies. The commonest second primary malignancy was nasopharyngeal carcinoma, followed by carcinoma of the thyroid. Second primary malignancies developed before HNMEC in 7 patients, with a mean interval of 196 months. Five patients had second primary malignancies after development of HNMEC, with a mean interval of 65 months. Two patients had synchronous second primary malignancies. Clinical patterns of patients with HNMEC with and without second primary malignancies were compared. Major salivary glands were more frequently affected among patients with second primary malignancies, while minor salivary glands were more frequently affected among those without secondary primary malignancies (P = .032). Development of second primary malignancy was not found to affect the survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  About one-fourth of patients with HNMEC had a second primary malignancy. Major salivary glands were more frequently affected among patients with second primary malignancies. Development of second primary malignancy did not affect survival.
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong richieclchan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Richie Chiu-Lung
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jimmy Yu-Wai
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HNMEC; MEC; mucoepidermoid carcinoma; second primary malignancy; second primary tumor