BACKGROUND: We compared clinical outcomes between patients with salivary gland carcinomas preoperatively misdiagnosed as benign lesion and properly diagnosed as malignant lesion. METHODS: The outcomes were compared between patients with benign lesion and malignant lesion (44 each) on preoperative fine-needle aspiration cytology diagnosis who underwent conservative or radical surgery. RESULTS: Five-year lesion-free survival (DFS) rates were 86.8% for benign lesion and 76.3% for malignant lesion (p = .128). Surgical extent did not significantly affect locoregional recurrence and DFS (p = .360). Univariate analysis showed that sublingual gland tumor, positive resection margin, and extraparenchymal extension (EPE) were significantly associated with DFS (p < .05 each). On multivariate analysis, EPE remained an independent variable (p = .047, hazard ratio = 6.621, 95% confidence interval = 1.393-31.474). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical outcomes of patients with salivary gland carcinomas misdiagnosed as benign are relatively favorable. Conservative surgery may be sufficient for patients with low-grade and T1-2 salivary gland carcinomas.
BACKGROUND: We compared clinical outcomes between patients with salivary gland carcinomas preoperatively misdiagnosed as benign lesion and properly diagnosed as malignant lesion. METHODS: The outcomes were compared between patients with benign lesion and malignant lesion (44 each) on preoperative fine-needle aspiration cytology diagnosis who underwent conservative or radical surgery. RESULTS: Five-year lesion-free survival (DFS) rates were 86.8% for benign lesion and 76.3% for malignant lesion (p = .128). Surgical extent did not significantly affect locoregional recurrence and DFS (p = .360). Univariate analysis showed that sublingual gland tumor, positive resection margin, and extraparenchymal extension (EPE) were significantly associated with DFS (p < .05 each). On multivariate analysis, EPE remained an independent variable (p = .047, hazard ratio = 6.621, 95% confidence interval = 1.393-31.474). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical outcomes of patients with salivary gland carcinomas misdiagnosed as benign are relatively favorable. Conservative surgery may be sufficient for patients with low-grade and T1-2salivary gland carcinomas.