title: Ongoing challenges in the treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a malignant tumour of major and minor salivary glands. Distant metastasis and poor survival are persistent in the literature, with recent publications aimed at understanding molecular pathogenesis and development of pharmaceutical therapeutic options.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Provide an update of recent studies in the management of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature search using Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the Cochrane central register of controlled trials for articles on adenoid cystic carcinoma from January 2005 to January 2015.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adenoid cystic carcinoma is characterized by a slow growing mass, with distant metastasis independent of local or regional control. Primary tumour resection remains the preferred option with radiotherapy having an adjuvant role. Recent advances have been made with novel targeted therapies however, limited to clinical trials and advanced disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, tksorl@outlook.com.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: O'Neill
mesh_terms: D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000628:therapy*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant