Objective: Identify the effect of patient characteristics, disease traits, and treatment modality on patient outcomes in the rare disease process of intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma.
Study design: Retrospective review of institutional case records and literature.
Methods: This study includes one case report, a literature review of the MEDLINE database from 1950 through June 2017 using keywords "intraosseous" and "mucoepidermoid," and a query of the University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Pathology database for all documented cases of intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck.
Results: Indicators of poorer prognosis were male gender (P = 0.0071) and higher histological grade (P = 0.0095). Lesion site, size, association with odontogenic cyst, and treatment type did not have a statistically significant correlation with patient outcomes. There also was no statistically significant correlation observed between treatment modality and recurrent or progressive disease when stratified by histological grade of the cancer.
Conclusion: This study identified male gender and high histological tumor grade as poor prognostic indicators; however, it did not reveal a statistically significant relationship between treatment modality and patient outcomes. Data regarding patient outcomes following treatment was limited due to loss to follow-up, suggesting that further investigation is required. Based on this review, decisions regarding treatment should be clinically guided and individually tailored to the patient's baseline health, disease severity, and the patient's treatment goals. A multi-disciplinary conference, as was utilized in the presented case report, may be the best approach to treatment planning for these patients at this time.
Level of evidence: 4. Laryngoscope, 128:1083-1092, 2018.
Keywords: Intraosseous; mucoepidermoid carcinoma; odontogenic cyst.
© 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.