Background: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) of the larynx is an uncommon malignancy of the head and neck with very little literature discussing treatment paradigms and prognostic factors influencing survival.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study uses data obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result database comprising of patients diagnosed with laryngeal AdCC from 1978 to 2016.
Results: A total of 89 records were analyzed. High histologic grade was a significant negative prognostic factor compared to low histologic grade disease for overall survival (OS; 5-year OS: 35.7% vs 90.5%, P < .005) and disease-specific survival (DSS; 5-year DSS: 38.7% vs 95.2%, P < .005). No differences in OS (5-year OS: 88.9% vs 76.4%, P = .287) or DSS (5-year DSS: 100% vs 79.1%, P = .159) were noted between patients with early versus late American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage disease. No differences in DSS was noted in cohorts treated with just definitive surgery versus surgery and adjuvant radiation (5-year DSS: 92.9% vs 74.3%, P = .140) even when stratified for late stage disease (5-year DSS: 100% vs 78.6%, P = .290) or high-grade histology (5-year DSS: 100% vs 83.3%, P = .773).
Conclusions: Histologic grade may be a more significant prognostic factor than AJCC stage for survival in laryngeal AdCC. Treatment with surgery and radiation may provide no additional survival advantage compared to just definitive surgery in these patients, although further study is warranted.
Keywords: SEER; adenoid; carcinoma; cystic; larynx; malignancy; management; outcomes; salivary.