title: [Our results of postoperative radiation therapy in patients with salivary gland cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate our single center experience in patients with a salivary gland tumor receiving postoperative radiation therapy (RT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1996 and December 2011, the records of 34 salivary gland tumor patients who were operated and referred to our clinic for adjuvant RT were retrospectively analyzed. Radiation therapy was applied to the primary tumor and lymphatics at a median dose of 60 Gy (54 to 60 Gy) with 1.8-2 Gy/fraction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up was 38 months (range, 3 to 204 months). The most common site of involvement was the parotid gland in 21 patients (62%), followed by the submandibular gland in 11 patients (%24) and minor salivary gland in two patients (9%). Five-year overall survival (OS) was 49% (range, 3 to 206 months) and disease free survival (DFS) was 61% (range, 1 to 173 months). Six patients had local or regional recurrences (18%), while 13 patients (38%) had distant metastasis. A tumor size larger than 4 cm, over six weeks referral time to RT, and existence of metastatic lymph node were found to be poor prognostic factors for OS (p=0.023, p=0.039, respectively), and DFS (p=0.046). While extracapsular involvement significantly reduced the DFS and OS (p=0.022, p=0.050, respectively), overall RT time affected DFS alone (p=0.046).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend adjuvant RT in high-risk patients operated due to a salivary gland tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology Medical Faculty of Uludağ University, 16059 Görükle, Bursa, Turkey. doccandan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Candan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demiroz Abakay
authors.forename: Kadriye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Şahintürk
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Türk
authors.forename: Lütfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Özkan
authors.forename: Afşin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özmen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D014421:Turkey