Adenoid cystic carcinoma of head and neck: A retrospective clinical analysis of a single institution

Abstract

Objective: In this study, patients with head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma were investigated with respect to disease characteristics, treatments, and potentially prognostic variables.

Materials and methods: Between January 1995 and December 2010, 29 patients with ACC of the head and neck treated at our institution were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: The 29 patients had a mean age of 54.7 years. Of the 29 patients, 4 (13.8%) underwent surgical resection only, 21 (72.4%) underwent surgery with radiotherapy, and 4 (13.8%) received postoperative chemoradiotherapy. Of 9 patients (31.0%) who experienced a recurrence within the follow-up period, 3 (10.3%) had local recurrence and 5 (17.2%) had distant metastasis; 1 (3.4%) patient had both local recurrence and distant metastatic spread.

Conclusion: ACC is a relatively rare tumor associated with long survival, even in metastatic settings. Despite aggressive therapy with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemo- therapy, a marked potential for local and distant recurrence still remains.