[Minor salivary gland tumors of the nasopharynx]

Abstract

Minor salivary gland tumors of the nasopharynx are rare. Among them, adenoid cystic carcinoma was most frequently seen. In this paper, 16 cases of minor salivary gland tumor of the nasopharynx admitted to our hospital during the past 27 years are reported. Patients' age ranged from 23 to 74 years with an average of 38.2 years in the women and 45.6 years in the men. Patients with malignant tumor often complained of headache, epistaxis, hearing and sight loss etc. Nasopharyngeal masses were found in all In some cases, paralysis of one or more cranial nerves was demonstrated by neurological examination and destruction of the base of skull by X-ray tomography. Of 16 cases, only 1 had benign mixed tumor and the rest suffered from malignant diseases (2 malignant mixed tumors and 13 adenocarcinomas). Radiotherapy was the main treatment. Some patients received surgical resection plus radiotherapy. 75% of the patients survived over 5 years.