Elective neck management for high-grade salivary gland carcinoma

PurposeTo determine whether patients with clinically node negative (cNo) high grade salivary gland carcinomas benefit from an elective neck dissection prior to postoperative radiotherapy (RT).Material/MethodsBetween October 1964 and October 2009, 59 previously untreated patients with cNo high-grade salivary gland carcinomas (squamous cell carcinomas were excluded) were treated with curative intent using elective neck dissection (END; n = 41), or elective neck irradiation (ENI; n = 18) at the University of Florida College of Medicine (Gainesville, FL). All patients underwent resection of the primary cancer followed by postoperative RT. The median follow-up period was 5.2 years (range, 0.3–34 years).ResultsOccult metastases were found in 18 (44%) of the 41 patients in the END group. There were 4 recurrences (10%) in the END group and 0 recurrence in the ENI group. Neck control rates at 5 years were: END, 90%; ENI, 100%; and overall, 93% (p = 0.1879). Cause-specific survival was 94% in the ENI group, 84% in the END group, and 86% for all patients (p = 0.6998). There were 3 reported grade 3 or 4 toxicities. Two patients had a postoperative fistula and one patient had a grade 4 osteoradionecrosis that required a partial mandibulectomy.ConclusionsPatients with cNo high grade salivary gland carcinomas who are planned to undergo surgery and postoperative RT likely do not benefit from a planned neck dissection.