Retrospective study of 124 cases of salivary gland tumors and literature review

Abstract

Background: Salivary gland tumors are a rare and morphologically diverse group of lesions and their frequency is still unknown in several parts of the world. The knowledge of its population characteristics contributes to a better understanding of its etiopathogenesis. Objectives: This study investigated the frequency of salivary gland tumors in a region of southern Brazil and compared these data in a literature review. Material and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of salivary gland tumors diagnosed at two pathology centers from 1995 to 2016. Patient age and gender, tumor site and frequency, histopathological diagnosis, and symptomatology were evaluated. Chi-squared tests were used to assess the associations between variables. To compare our data, we also conducted a literature review of publications in the PubMed and LILACS databases of retrospective studies of salivary gland tumors. Results: A total of 124 salivary gland tumor cases was identified, 81 (65.3%) of which were classified as benign and 43 (34.6%) as malignant. Most tumors occurred in the parotid gland (57.2%). Pleomorphic adenoma was the most common tumor (59.6%), followed by adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified (8.8%). The tumors occurred more often in women (54.8%) than in men (45.2%). Malignant tumors were associated with pain in 31.4% of cases (p <0.05). The literature review included 35 articles from different countries. Women were most affected, with a mean age of 41.7 years. The most common benign tumor was pleomorphic adenoma (48.2%) and the most common malignant tumor was mucoepidermoid carcinoma (8.7%). Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that salivary gland tumors are rare. The parotid gland is the most common location and pleomorphic adenoma are the most frequent lesions. The malignant tumors presented as several histological types and the incidence was variable globally.

Giant Parotid Pleomorphic Adenoma with Atypical Histological Presentation and Long-Term Recurrence-Free Follow-Up after Surgery: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…The terminal branches of the facial nerve are an important anatomic landmark which divide the parotid gland into its superficial and deep lobes [ 33 ]. Although SGT are uncommon, they are predominantly benign and are reported frequently in the parotid gland [ 2 ]. The present report details a case of giant PA in the right parotid gland, along with its surgical management, histological presentation, and long-term recurrence-free follow-up.…”

“…Preoperative diagnosis of PA is routinely based on clinical findings, supplemented by radiological investigations such as CT, MRI, and USG [ 2 ]. The role of FNAC in arriving at a provisional diagnosis has been debated and considered nonrepresentative due to varying histological patterns at different sites within the same tumor [ 34 ].…”

“…Neoplastic lesions of the salivary glands are uncommon and comprise less than 3% of all reported head and neck tumors [ 1 , 2 ]. Nearly 80% of the reported salivary gland tumors (SGT) are benign and occur predominantly in major salivary glands, with the parotid gland being the commonest site (70–80%) [ 2 , 3 ]. Often presenting as slow-growing, painless masses, tumors involving major salivary glands are rarely aggressive or malignant (<10%).…”

“…Often presenting as slow-growing, painless masses, tumors involving major salivary glands are rarely aggressive or malignant (<10%). On the contrary, tumors of minor salivary glands while occurring rarely have a preponderance to be malignant (80–90%) [ 2 , 3 ]. Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the commonest SGT, accounting for almost 60–80% of all benign SGT and 60–70% of all parotid gland tumors [ 1 , 3 ].…”

Epitheliale Speicheldrüsentumoren – monozentrische retrospektive Erhebung für den Süden Sachsen-Anhalts

“…Die Geschlechtsverteilung ist in den zitierten Studien vergleichbar. Im Einzelnen waren die Verteilungen wie folgt: in Kroatien und Spanien annähernd 1:1, wohingegen in China und den USA eine geringe männliche Prädominanz (Männer/Frauen China: 1:0,9 -USA 1:0,7) und in Deutschland (Halle, Bonn) sowie Nigeria und Brasilien eine geringe weibliche Prädominanz bestand (Männer/Frauen Halle: 1:1,4 -Bonn 1:1,1 -Nigeria und Brasilien 1:1,2) [3,4,9,12,14,16,23]. Betrachtet man den gesamten südlichen Teil Sachsen-Anhalts, so ergab sich eine Verteilung Männer/ Frauen von 1:0,9 [7].…”