Salivary gland carcinomas in children and adolescents: The Italian TREP project experience

Abstract

This is the first reported prospective national cooperative series of pediatric salivary gland carcinoma patients. Compliance with the TREP recommendations was high. These tumors are rarely managed by pediatric oncologists/surgeons. A broader international cooperation and better networking with otolaryngologists and head-neck surgeons expert on adult salivary gland carcinomas would be advisable.

Mandibular growth in survivors of pediatric parotid gland carcinoma treated with interstitial brachytherapy

“…Salivary gland carcinomas are rare in children and adolescents, representing 0.5% of all malignancies reported in this population . The parotid gland is the most common organ involved in the pediatric population . Moreover, about half of the parotid gland tumors are malignant in the pediatric population; of these, mucoepidermoid carcinoma is the most common .…”

“…The rates of nodal involvement and systematic metastasis are relatively lower in the pediatric population than is the case for salivary gland carcinomas in the adult population . Surgery is the mainstay treatment, but the effects of radiotherapy are unclear . Nevertheless, adjunctive radiotherapy may be indicated for high‐risk cases, including tumors with high grades, perineural invasion, incomplete resection, or nodal involvement .…”

Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of primary and recurrent malignancy involving the salivary glands in children

“…Most primary malignant salivary gland neoplasms present as slow-growing painless swelling with an average duration of symptoms of 4 to 24 months. [4][5][6] Clinical signs and symptoms characteristic of malignancy, such as pain, rapid growth, facial nerve paresis, or lymphadenopathy, are not commonly seen. In our study also, the most common presentation was painless swelling.…”

“…In India, the incidence of malignant salivary gland neoplasm in children is not available and, even in adults, they are not among the first 20 most common cancers in any of the Indian cancer registries . Consequent to this rarity and availability of limited data, malignant salivary gland neoplasm in children have been appropriately classified as an orphan disease and treatment decisions are extrapolated from adults, although the management in children may be different . Similarly, the outcome of treatment of patients with malignant recurrent salivary gland neoplasm is also not known.…”

“…3 Consequent to this rarity and availability of limited data, malignant salivary gland neoplasm in children have been appropriately classified as an orphan disease and treatment decisions are extrapolated from adults, although the management in children may be different. 4 Similarly, the outcome of treatment of patients with malignant recurrent salivary gland neoplasm is also not known. We present our experience with the treatment of primary and recurrent malignant salivary gland neoplasm in children at a tertiary cancer center in India, and contribute to the limited available data, which will steer physicians to impart rational therapy for these rare tumors.…”