Treatment of minor salivary gland malignancies of upper food and air passage epithelium.A review of 87 cases

A review of 87 cases of adenocarcinoma of the epithelium of the upper food and air passages is presented. These are divided into 3 groups: nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, oral cavity, and pharynges. Their clinical course and histopathology are described, and the results of treatment by surgery, radiation therapy, and a combination of the two are evaluated. The following conclusions are made: 1. minor salivary gland malignancies arising in the upper food and air passage epithelium are moderately radioresponsive and radiocurable; 2. their curability is a function of anatomic location and extent of lymph node metastases rather than histologic type; 3. failure of local control of these tumors is frequently manifested within 2 years, and 4. most published data regarding the radiotherapy of these minor salivary gland malignancies are based on outmoded kilovoltage techniques.