Epithelial salivary gland tumors of children and adolescents in west China population: a clinicopathologic study of 79 cases

Objective:  Determine the clinical and histopathologic features of epithelial salivary gland tumors of children and adolescents.
Methods:  A total of 79 cases of epithelial salivary gland tumors of children and adolescents were retrieved from the files. Information about demographic, clinical, histopathologic characteristics, and follow-up status were analyzed.
Results:  Sixty tumors (75.9%) were benign and 19 (24.1%) malignant. The most common tumor overall was pleomorphic adenoma (PA). The parotid was the most frequently involved site (43.0%). PA was the most common type of benign tumor. The most common malignant tumor was mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Five patients with parotid PA and two cases with palate myoepithelioma showed local recurrences. One patient with mucoepidermoid carcinoma showed local recurrences and died from the tumor 3 years after the initial treatment. One patient with adenocarcinoma presented local and neck recurrences, and died 4 years after initial treatment.
Conclusions:  Our data showed that the salivary gland tumors in children and adolescents may be the higher incidence of benign tumors, especially of PA; the slightly higher tendency for female predominance; the higher incidence of parotid glands. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma was the most common malignant tumor, with majority of low grade. Initial treatment should be planned to excise the tumor completely with satisfactory margins. The neck dissections or postoperative radiotherapy were performed in patients with low differentiation malignancies, or patients who present nodal metastasis or with clinically suspicious regional metastasis.