Prognostic factors in malignancy of the minor salivary glands

Background: the purpose of this study was to identify prognostic factors associated with minor salivary gland malignancies.Method: this was a retrospective study of 171 patients. Statistical analysis of both clinical and pathological parameters with survival outcomes was performed.Results: adenoid cystic carcinoma (46.8%), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (22.8%), and adenocarcinoma (18.7%) were the most common pathologies. The most frequent sites of primary tumor were in the oral cavity (44.4%) and nasal cavity (40.4%). The 5-year and 10-year overall survivals were 73.8% and 58.1%. Disease-specific survivals (DSS) were 78.2% and 66.7% and disease-free survivals (DFS) were 64.8% and 47.5%, respectively. Local recurrence rate was 26.9%, regional recurrence 7%, and distant failure was 18.7%. The grade of tumor was the only factor associated with DSS on multivariate analysis.Conclusions: overall and DSS of minor salivary gland malignancies were good. Surgery, either alone or in combination with radiation, was an efficacious treatment modality. High-grade tumors were associated with worse DS