Central malignant salivary gland tumors of the jaw: retrospective clinical analysis of 22 cases.

PURPOSE: As a review of central malignant salivary gland tumor cases in Southwest China in the past 20 years, this study provided the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic information of these rare lesions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: In our study, 22 cases of central malignant salivary gland tumor treated between 1986 to 2006 at West China Stomatology Hospital of Sichuan University were retrospectively analyzed. A thorough review of clinical records was carried out and the histologic diagnosis was revised using the 2005 WHO criteria.

RESULTS: The average age of patients was 46.5 years old, and the peak incidence age of the tumors was in the fourth, fifth, and sixth decades. The male:female ratio was 0.47:1. The clinical manifestation included swelling of the jaw, pain, paraesthesia, tooth mobility, and pain. All the lesions were radiolucent regions with an ill-defined margin. The most frequent histologic type was the mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Local extensive resection of the primary focus was the primary treatment.

CONCLUSION: Central malignant salivary gland tumors often occurred in the middle-aged patients, and there were more cases in the mandible than in the maxilla. The diagnosis should be based on the case history, clinical, pathologic, and radiologic examinations. The major treatment was extensive resection of primary focus.