THE RESPONSE OF ADENOID CYSTIC CARCINOMA TO TAMOXIFEN

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the parotid gland often recurs locally, or metastases develop, after initial treatment with surgery and radiothe rapy. We report a patient with an inoperable local recurrence of previ ously irradiated adenoid cystic carcinoma, who was treated with tamoxi fen, an oestrogen receptor antagonist. After 18 months of treatment wi th tamoxifen, MRI showed a partial response, and further clinical prog ression of the disease was halted.