National cancer data base report on cancer of the head and neck: Acinic cell carcinoma

Background. Management of acinic cell carcinoma is based on reports of smal l numbers of cases accrued over several decades. Methods. The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) identified 1353 cases of acin ic cell carcinoma of the head and neck for the years 1985 to 1995. Chi squa re analyses of selected contingency tables and Wilcoxon regression analyses of selected survival stratifications are presented. Results. Five-year survival was 83.3% (observed) and 91.4% (disease specifi c). Worse survival was associated with high grade (p <.0001), age greater o r equal to 30 years (p =.0055), and the presence of metastatic disease (p < .0001). Conclusions. An aggressive subset of acinic cell carcinoma which is charact erized by high grade and advanced stage rarely occurs in patients younger t han 30 years old. Although better outcome was not statistically demonstrate d for combined therapy, surgery with irradiation is the most common managem ent in the United States for cases with regional metastases, high grade, an d microscopic positive margins. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.