Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands, Clinical data and follow-up of 52 cases.

Between 1965 and 1993, a total of 52 patients with mucoepidermoid carcinomas underwent surgical treatment. Their TNM stage at the time of initial diagnosis varied (T0:0, T1:24, T2: 19, T3: 2, T4: 7; NO: 46, N1: 4,N2: 2; MO:50, M1: 2). In the majority of patients (n=24) the history of symptoms ranged from more that 0.5 to 2 years without any specificity of features. Radical ablative surgery of the primary tumour is the therapy of choice. In patients suspected of having metastases of the regional lymph nodes, resection of the related lymphatic system has to be included in the therapeutic approach. The prognosis is excellent in patients with a localized manifestation. The patients who died for reasons of tumour metastasis had all been classified as having stage Iii to IV disease at the time of initial diagnosis. Distant metastases are rarely found even decades after surgical therapy. Long-term follow- up is recommended for patients with mucoepidermoid carcinomas.