[Malignant salivary gland tumors. Effect of histology and site on prognosis].

From 1965-1975 we treated 207 patients with malignant tumors of the salivary glands. While the localization of these tumors (minor salivary glands, submandibular gland, parotid gland) had no distinct influence on their prognosis, the influence of the histological tumor type is substantial. After histological reclassification of all tumors with grading of differentiation of adenoid cystic carcinomas (tubular, solid, cribriform), mucoepidermoid and acinic cell carcinomas (both well-, respectively poorly differentiated) we could establish 4 different prognostic groups by observing the respective determinate survival rates. The most favorable prognosis is found for tubular adenoid cystic carcinomas, well-differentiated acinic cell and mucoepidermoid carcinomas (5 year survival rate 100%), followed by the solid and cribriform adenoid cystic carcinomas, the poorly differentiated acinic cell carcinomas and the salivary duct carcinomas (5 year survival rate about 65%). With 5 year survival rates of 40%, the adenocarcinomas, poorly differentiated mucoepidermoid carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas have a poor prognosis, and the prognosis of the carcinomas in pleomorphic adenoma and of undifferentiated carcinomas is even poorer with a 5 year survival rate of 25%.