Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands--clinical review of 42 cases

In this retrospective study we analyzed our experience with mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the salivary glands and compared our results with those reported in the literature. A total of 42 patients were treated between January 1983 and December 2002 at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hanover Medical School. Thirty-three tumors were classified as low grade carcinomas, 9 tumors as high grade carcinomas. Tumor sites were the parotid gland in 11 cases, sublingual and submandibular gland in 6 cases, oral cavity and oropharynx in 22 cases and nasal cavity and maxillary sinus in 3 cases. There were 23 T1-, 6 T2-, 5 T3- and 8 T4-tumors with 35 N0-, 5 N1- and 2 N2-necks, all M0 at presentation. Resection remained incomplete for 9 patients. Six patients received postoperative radiation. Overall survival rates, overall local control rates and overall regional control rates at 5 and 10 years were 79.1% and 65.5%, 89.1% and 80.8%, 92.3% and 87.7%. None of our patients developed distant failure. Grade, stage and margin status significantly influenced prognosis. MEC is a rare tumor entity and should be treated in specialist centres within randomised prospective multicentric trials.