Combined treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands

A retrospective review of the experience of a single surgeon over a 20-year period is presented. Fifteen patients with primary adenoid cystic carcinom a of the major (6) or minor (9) salivary glands underwent combined treatmen t with wide local excision and radical postoperative radiotherapy. The actu arial survival is 100% at 5 years and 62% at 10 and 15 years. The disease-s pecific survival is 100% at 5 years and 86% at 10 and 15 years. There were no loco-regional recurrences. Wide local excision and radical postoperative radiotherapy seems to be an effective treatment for adenoid cystic carcino ma of the salivary glands.