Minor salivary gland tumours: a 30-year institutional experience.
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OBJECTIVE: To analyse the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes of minor salivary gland tumours of the upper aerodigestive tract. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted of patients treated for minor salivary gland tumours between 1988 and 2020. Clinical, pathological and treatment variables were analysed. Survival outcomes were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients were included, of which 64 (87.7 per cent) had malignant tumours. The most common histological type was adenoid cystic carcinoma (46.9 per cent), followed by mucoepidermoid carcinoma (32.8 per cent). The oropharynx was the most frequent tumour site. Treatment consisted mainly of surgery with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. During follow up, 28.1 per cent of patients developed local recurrence and 32.8 per cent developed distant metastases. Five- and 10-year disease-specific survival rates were 77.0 and 50.8 per cent, respectively. Advanced stage, tumour location and histological grade were associated with survival. CONCLUSION: Minor salivary gland tumours are predominantly malignant and show heterogeneous behaviour. Prognosis is mainly determined by tumour stage, location and histological grade, supporting the need for long-term follow up.