Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity.

From 1950 through 1975, 54 patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity were treated at the Mayo Clinic. Metastatic disease occurred in 13 patients; nine patients died of their disease. Mucoepidermoid tumors of the hard palate should be treated by partial maxillectomy. Complete neck dissection is necessary for tumors larger than 2 cm in the base of the tongue. Other intraoral mucoepidermoid carcinomas are treated by wide surgical excision.