Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland: <scp>Twenty‐year</scp> experience in treatment and outcomes
Stephen A. Chan, Kathryn M. Van Abel, Jean E. Lewis, David M. Routman, Joaquín J. García, Emily E. Karp, Daniel L. Price, Jeffrey R. Janus, Jan L. Kasperbauer, Eric J. Moore
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Parotid gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) has published five-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates of 77%-97%, with variance related to grade. METHODS: Patients receiving primary surgery for parotid gland MEC from 1995 to 2014 at a tertiary medical center underwent clinical review, histopathologic review, and cytogenetic analysis. Survival outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 58 patients, T/N/M classification was as follows: T1 in 35 patients, T2 in 14, T4a in 9, N0 in 53, N1 in 2, N2b in 3. Histologic grade was low in 27, intermediate in 17, and high in 12 patients with 98% MAML2 positivity. All patients underwent parotidectomy, and seven patients received adjuvant radiation therapy. CSS was 100% at 5 years and 94.1% at 10 and 15 years. Two patients experienced locoregional recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with adequate surgical resection and adjuvant radiation therapy for high-grade or advanced-stage tumors yields excellent survival, independent of clinical stage or pathologic grade.