Epithelial salivary gland tumors in children: a twenty-five-year experience of 122 patients

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate our 25-year experience of pediatric salivary tumors.

Methods: Patients less than 19 years old with a diagnosis of salivary tumor were identified at Oral-maxillofacial Head and Neck Tumor Center, China Medical University from 1987 to 2011.

Results: 122 patients were included in our study, 105 tumors were benign and 17 were malignant. The most common involved site was parotid gland, pleomorphic adenoma represented 91.4% in benign group, and mucoepidermoid carcinoma represented 47.1% in malignant group. All tumors in submandibular gland were benign. Warthin's tumor was diagnosed in one patient. In our follow-up, no regional recurrences occurred in patients without neck dissection. The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates of patients with malignant salivary tumors were 81.8% and 66.7% respectively.

Conclusions: Epithelial salivary tumor was rare, parotid gland was most common involved site, pleomorphic adenoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma were the most common benign and malignant tumor respectively. The prognosis of patients with malignant salivary tumors was not very favorable.

Keywords: Epithelial salivary tumor; Mucoepidermoid carcinoma; Pediatric; Pleomorphic adenoma.