PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN MINOR SALIVARY-GLAND CANCER

Background. Minor salivary gland cancer occurs infrequently and presen ts a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The purpose of this study w as to determine prognostic factors for this disease. Methods. The medi cal records of 95 patients diagnosed and treated at the University of Alabama at Birmingham over a 35-year period were reviewed. Information concerning patient, disease, and treatment characteristics was compil ed for each case. Multivariate analysis was conducted using a rank reg ression procedure. Results. Stage I or II cancer (p = .022), the absen ce of cervical lymph node metastases (p = .001), and surgical margins which were free of cancer (p < .001) were predictive of increased 4-ye ar disease-free survival by multivariate analysis. Conclusion. Our fin dings emphasize the need for detection of early-stage disease combined with complete surgical extirpation of the cancer, which provide the p atient with the best chance for locoregional control and long-term sur vival. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.