Prognostic Factors Associated With Decreased Survival in Patients With Acinic Cell Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland

Abstract

Purpose: Acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) of the parotid gland is relatively rare. This study aimed to estimate 5-year survival and to identify prognostic factors associated with survival of ACC of the parotid gland.

Materials and methods: Thirty-seven patients with ACC of the parotid gland were included in this retrospective cohort study. They were treated in Beijing Stomatological Hospital from January 2000 to December 2011. Predictor variables, including age, gender, tumor stage, nodal stage, perineural invasion, and margin status, were analyzed. The Cox regression model was used to determine prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

Results: Of the 37 patients, 20 were men (54.1%). Mean age was 42 years (range, 13 to 73 yr). Six patients (16.2%) had T3 or T4 tumors and 5 (13.5%) had positive neck nodes. The 5-year OS and DFS were 86.5 and 78.3%, respectively. Positive margin status was associated with worse OS. Patients older than 60 years with a fixed mass, high-grade tumor and nodal stage, perineural invasion, and angiolymphatic invasion had adverse OS and DFS (P < .05).

Conclusions: The present study identified several important prognostic factors associated with OS and DFS in patients with ACC. These prognostic variables include symptoms at presentation, clinical tumor stage and pathologic nodal status, and histopathology-related factors. All these factors were important in patient therapy and could prolong survival rate.