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Tumor site, surgery associated with survival in minor salivary gland carcinoma
Primary tumor site, patient age and receipt of surgery appeared to influence cause-specific survival among patients with minor salivary gland carcinoma, according to results of a retrospective population-based study.
Prior attempts to identify prognostic factors for carcinoma of the minor salivary gland had been based on small case series and single-institution studies. Consequently, limited data exist to help oncologists counsel patients about their prognosis, according to study background.
H. Michael Baddour Jr., MD, a fourth-year otolaryngology resident at Emory University School of Medicine, and colleagues analyzed SEER data from January 1988 through December 2009 to analyze 5- and 10-year cause specific survival among patients with minor salivary gland carcinoma.
The analysis included 5,334 patients with a variety of histologic subtypes and tumor subsites. Most study participants had primary tumors in the oral cavity (58.7%) and pharynx (21.2%). The most common subtypes included mucoepidermoid carcinoma (29.4%), adenocarcinoma (24.6%) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (23%).
Patients with malignant neoplasms in the larynx (HR for death = 2.42; 95% CI, 1.67-3.5) and the nasal cavity and/or paranasal sinus (HR = 1.73; 95% CI, 1.29-2.32) demonstrated significantly worse 5-year cause-specific survival. Age older than 75 years also appeared associated with significantly worse 5-year cause-specific survival (HR = 2.88; 95% CI, 2.05-4.06).
Local tumor destruction (HR = 0.44; 95% CI, 0.3-0.64), partial surgery (HR = 0.33; 95% CI, 0.23-0.47) and total surgery (HR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.41-0.74) all served as significant positive predictive factors compared with no surgery.
Baddour and colleagues observed no differences in 5-year cause-specific survival based on sex, diagnosis year, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status. Ten-year adjusted HRs appeared similar to 5-year patterns, researchers wrote. – by Ryan McDonald
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.