Prognostic Factors in Myoepithelial Carcinoma of the Major Salivary Glands

Abstract

Objectives: (1) Identify all cases of myoepithelial carcinoma of the major salivary glands from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). (2) Analyze the effect of grade, stage, and regional nodal metastasis on survival in myoepithelial carcinoma of the major salivary glands.

Study design: Retrospective review of NCDB.

Setting: Multicenter data pooled from 1998 to 2012 in the NCDB.

Methods: We identified all reported cases of myoepithelial carcinomas of the major salivary glands from the United States from 1998 to 2012 in the NCDB. Clinical parameters were then examined and analyzed for predictors of survival.

Results: A total of 473 cases of myoepithelial carcinoma were identified. Of the reported cases, 38.1% were low grade; 26.7%, intermediate grade; and 35.2%, high grade. When presenting stage was examined, 24.4% were stage I; 30.6%, stage II; 22.5%, stage III; 12.2%, stage IVa; 3.0%, stage IVb; and 4.1%, stage IVc. At presentation, 18.7% of patients had regional nodal disease, and 4.5% had distant metastases. The 3- and 5-year survival rates were 73% and 64%, respectively. The presence of nodal disease significantly reduced mean survival time versus those without (64 vs 108 months, P < .001), as did high-grade disease compared with low grade (67 vs 114 months, P < .001) and stage III/IV compared with stage I/II disease (61 vs 118 months, P < .001).

Conclusions: The presence of regional nodal disease, high-grade disease, and advanced stage are predictors of lower survival in myoepithelial carcinoma. Further studies based on types of treatment are warranted.

Keywords: head and neck cancer; major salivary gland cancer; myoepithelial carcinoma; salivary gland cancer.