Tumors of the minor salivary glands

INOR OR accessory salivary glands are sim-M ilar to major salivary glands except for their size and location.They are found throughout the oral cavity and pharynx.Tumors of minor salivary gland origin that have occurred in the hard palate, soft palate, cheek, tongue, floor of mouth, alveolar ridge, lip, and mandible are discussed in this clinical study.Others have reported finding them in the nasal cavity, the paranasal sinuses, the nasopharynx, the tonsil, the epiglottis, and the larynx.Q.12Although there have been many good articles in the medical literature on tumors of salivary glands, they have been devoted almost entirely to those of the major salivary glands.l.6-8 Relatively little consideration has been given to tumors that arise in the minor salivary glands.*.81 61 1% 11 T h e purpose of this paper is to present the histological classification and clinical characteristics of a group of these tumors, to outline treatment methods, and to indicate response to treatment based upon experience with 38 patients.These patients had tumors of minor salivary gland origin and were cared for in the Robert Winship Clinic of Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga., by J. Elliott Scarborough, Sam A. Wilkins, Jr., or one of us (R.L.B.).The location in which tumors of minor salivary glands are most frequently found is the hard palate.Next in frequency is the cheek and then the base of the tongue (Tables 1 and 2).There were 22 women and 16 men in this series.Tumors were more often detected in individuals between 40 and 60 years of age, but 1 patient was 19, 4 others were less than 40, and 10 were more than 60.The oldest patient was 86 (Table 3).Ward and Hendrick have reported a minor salivary gland tumor in a child 2 years of age.13 PATHOLOGYMore than a half-century ago Sir John Bland-S~tton.~writing on tumors of salivary