Advanced malignant minor salivary glands tumors of the oral cavity

Objective: Intraoral minor salivary gland carcinomas (MSGC) are rare tumors with different frequency, distribution, and prognostic factors relating to overall survival. Study design: From 1992 to 2006, a total of 95 patients with MSGC originating in the oral cavity were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis using the log-rank test and Cox-regression. Results: Fifty-four percent of all patients had a low-grade disease and 46% had a high grade disease. The 2-, 5-, and 10-year overall survivals were 82%, 73%, and 58%, respectively. The T (P = .007), N category (P = .010), UICC stage (P = .021), and resection margin status (P < .0001) statistically influenced survival, whereas the M status did not (P = .16). Salvage treatment influenced the patients' overall survival significantly (P < .0001). Conclusion: This study confirms that in MSGC salvage surgery and tumor stage correlates well with prognosis. More studies are necessary to confirm prognostic factors and determine the true frequency of MSGC in the oral cavity.