Radiat Oncol J.  2018 Dec;36(4):317-324. 10.3857/roj.2018.00409.

Postoperative radiotherapy for mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the major salivary glands: long-term results of a single-institution experience

• Park G
• Lee SW

• KMID: 2434320
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3857/roj.2018.00409

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study aimed to evaluate the long-term survival outcomes and prognostic factors that affect the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent surgery and postoperative radiotherapy for major salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 44 patients who underwent surgery followed by radiotherapy for primary MEC of the major salivary glands between 1991 and 2014. The median follow-up period was 9.8 years (range, 0.8 to 23.8 years).
RESULTS
The overall outcomes at 5 and 10 years were 81.5% and 78.0% for overall survival (OS), 86.2% and 83.4% for disease-free survival, 90.6% and 87.6% for locoregional recurrence-free survival, and both 90.5% for distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). Histologic grade was the only independent predictor of OS (low vs. intermediate vs. high; hazard ratio = 3.699; p = 0.041) in multivariate analysis. A poorer survival was observed among patients with high-grade tumors compared with those with non-high-grade tumors (5-year OS, 37.5% vs. 91.7%, p < 0.001; 5-year DMFS, 46.9% vs. 100%, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Surgery and postoperative radiotherapy resulted in excellent survival outcomes for patients with major salivary gland MEC. However, high-grade tumors contributed to poor DMFS and OS. Additional aggressive strategies for improving survival outcomes should be developed for high-grade MEC.

Keyword

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma; Salivary gland neoplasms; Radiotherapy

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid*
Disease-Free Survival
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Multivariate Analysis
Radiotherapy*
Retrospective Studies
Salivary Gland Neoplasms
Salivary Glands*