PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN PATIENTS WITH MINOR SALIVARY GLAND CARCINOMA OF THE ORAL CAVITY AND OROPHARYNX

Background. This study was performed to define prognostic factors and management of minor salivary gland carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx Methods. Retrospective analyses of patients with salivary gland carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx, treated in 1989 to 2006. Statistics included univariate analyses to identify prognostic factors associated with disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival. A multivariate analysis model was constructed by the Cox method. Results. Seventy-seven patients constituted our cohort. Significant prognostic factors regarding DFS and disease-specific survival in univariate analyses comprised tumor size, surgical margins, grade, lymph node status, and Karnofsky status and T classification. A multivariate model identified tumor size, grade, surgical margins, and lymph node status significant regarding DFS. Conclusions. Tumor size, grade, surgical margins, and lymph node status could be used for a rational design of treatment strategies in these rare tumors. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 33: 1406-1412, 2011