title: Epidemiological and histopathological patterns of salivary gland tumors in Cameroon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumors of salivary glands are rare. According to Johns and Goldsmith in 1989, their annual incidence is less than 1/100000 without noteworthy geographical gap. But other authors suggest that their distribution may vary according to the race and geographical location. In Cameroon, existing studies give incomplete data. Hence, we underwent this study in order to draw the general profile of salivary gland tumors in Cameroon.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was carried out on the period spanning from January 2000 to December 2010 (11 years). It was done in nine Pathology services of different hospitals in Yaoundé, Douala and Bamenda. We consulted the archive registers of those services, retaining any patient with salivary gland tumor, whatever the histological type or location. Information gathered was the year of diagnosis, the service, the age and sex, the site of the tumor (gland) the histological type and the benign/ malignant character.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We recruited a total of 275 files. Women were 56% (154/275) and men 44% (121/275) of the sample. Fifty eight tumors were malignant (21.9%) while 217 were benign (78.1%). The overall mean age was 37.44 years, with extremes between 1 and 84 years. Pleomorphic adenoma (60.36%) was the most common benign tumor. Adenoid cystic carcinoma (31%), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (22.4%) and adenocarcinoma (19%) were the most common malignant tumors. Palate (66.7%), cheek (30%) and lips (3.3%) were the sites were the minor salivary glands were mostly involved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differences with western world authors suggest a geographical variability of salivary gland tumors.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMBS) of the University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Pathology Service of Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Zacharie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sando
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMBS) of the University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Jean Valentin
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Fokouo
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMBS) of the University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Arlette Onomo
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Mebada
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMBS) of the University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Otolaryngology Service of University Hospital Center, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Djomou
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMBS) of the University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: NDjolo
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMBS) of the University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Jean Louis Essame
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Oyono
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cameroon; Salivary gland tumors; cystic adenoid carcinoma; pleomorphic adenoma