Epidemiology and treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the minor salivary glands: a meta-analytic study

Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2011 Nov 1;16(7):e884-9. doi: 10.4317/medoral.17200.

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the epidemiological aspects of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and to evaluate the different therapeutic possibilities as well as the percentage of survival.

Study design: A retrospective, meta-analytic, observational study was carried out by selecting a total of 13 articles, which provided a sample size of 263 cases of patients who had been diagnosed with ACC in the minor salivary glands.

Results: ACC was found to be more common among women (56.5%) and the average age at diagnosis was 55.26 years old. The primary location of the tumor was in the palate in 57% of the cases, the predominant pattern being cribiform. The treatment of choice was therapy combined with surgery and radiotherapy in 62.7% of the subjects. The overall survival rate was 70.76% and 56.76%, at 5 and 10 years respectively.

Conclusions: Early detection of adenoid cystic carcinoma is necessary in order to enable making an earlier prognosis and thus enable a better quality of life for the patient.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / epidemiology*
  • Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Salivary Glands, Minor*
  • Survival Rate
  • Young Adult