<p>Clinicopathological Characteristics and Survival of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Salivary Gland: a Population-Based Study</p>

Abstract

Background: Small cell carcinoma (SmCC) of the salivary gland is rare, and the characteristics and survival are not well defined due to only case reports or case series being reported. The present study aimed to describe the clinicopathological characteristics and determine the factors associated with survival of this rare cancer. Materials and methods: A population-based study was carried out to investigate clinical characteristics and prognosis of SmCC of the salivary gland using prospectively extracted data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database between 1988 and 2016. Results: Totally, 198 patients with SmCC of the salivary gland were identified with an average age of 72.6±12.4 and a male to female ratio of 3.4:1. The lesions of most patients (167/198) were located in the parotid gland. The median overall survival (mOS) of all patients is 25.0 months. The 1-, 3-, 5-and 10-year survival rate was 65.7%, 40.9%, 33.0% and 22.7%, respectively. Surgery could prolong significantly the mOS by almost 17.0 months (28.0 months vs 11.0 months; P<0.01). Radiotherapy, as well as radiotherapy after surgery, could prolong the mOS (P<0.01 for both). Patients who received chemotherapy had significantly longer overall survival time than those without chemotherapy (28.0 months vs 20 months; P=0.04). The survival analysis demonstrated that old age (>72 years), lymph node (N3) and distant metastases were independent factors for poor survival, whereas radiotherapy was an independent factor for favorable survival. Conclusion: Small cell carcinoma of the salivary gland is a rare disease, and old age, lymph node and distant metastases, and radiotherapy were significantly associated with prognosis. In order to understand this disease more thoroughly, more cases with adequate information are required.

Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland: A Chronicle of Publications Based on the Largest Case Series and a Report of the First Greek Case

“…From the 18 out of 44 patients of Servato's case series that are alive without evidence of disease 8 followed that treatment modality [9]. Bai, et al stated that the combination of radiotherapy with surgery could significantly improve patients' prognosis compared with those with surgery alone (45.0 months vs. 18.0 months: P < 0.01) [1]. They also stated that radiotherapy was an independent factor for favorable survival and this decreased the risk of death by 44% [1].…”

“…Bai, et al stated that the combination of radiotherapy with surgery could significantly improve patients' prognosis compared with those with surgery alone (45.0 months vs. 18.0 months: P < 0.01) [1]. They also stated that radiotherapy was an independent factor for favorable survival and this decreased the risk of death by 44% [1]. Experience from gastrointestinal NETs shows that expression of somtostatin receptors through a high uptake of octreotide in scintigraphy could be useful to select tumors that could benefit from the systemic use of somatostatin analogues [4].…”

“…167 were located in the parotid gland, 25 cases were observed in the submandibular gland and 6 in the minor salivary gland. The median overall survival was 25 months and the five and ten-year survival rate was 33% and 22.7% respectively [1].…”

“…Small cell carcinomas (SCC) belong in the neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), being the most aggressive type of them, generally named neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) [1]. NENs are neoplasms that arise from cells derived from the neural crest with neuroendocrine differentiation [1]. SCCs usually arise in the lungs but 2-4% are extrapulmonary cases [1].…”

“…NENs are neoplasms that arise from cells derived from the neural crest with neuroendocrine differentiation [1]. SCCs usually arise in the lungs but 2-4% are extrapulmonary cases [1]. In the salivary glands they are extremely rare consisting < 1% of major salivary glands malignancies and 1% of primary parotid malignancies [2].…”