Salivary gland neoplasms – IPO FG coimbra experience – last 10 years

Abstract

Introduction: The pathology of the salivary glands is essentially inflammatory and neoplastic with very different biological behaviors. Material and methods: A retrospective review of cases of salivary gland surgery between 2005 and 2010 and the cases with histological diagnosis of malignant epithelial salivary gland neoplasm between 2000 and 2010. Results: Between 2005 and 2010, we studied 261 patients, 197 cases of benign tumors and 64 malignant. The most frequent lesions were pleomorphic adenoma as benign lesion and squamous cell carcinoma as malignant lesion; The parotid was the most affected gland. The histological malignant epithelial cases between 2000 and 2010 revealed 55 cases with the most prevalent histological type being the adenoid cystic carcinoma (22%). Conclusions: In this analysis, tumor stage appears to be the most important prognostic factor in malignant epithelial salivary neoplasm. Radiation therapy has an important role as adjunctive therapy. Relapse rates are high in the long term and distant metastases can emerge even with locally controlled disease.