A comparative evaluation of outcomes between tongue SCC and ACC of salivary glands: retrospective match-case study

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma (TSCC) patients’ outcome and compare that to their matched pair counterparts of salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (SGACC) patients. Materials and Methods: A population-based cohort study was conducted using SEER data. From a database of 2019 patients, treated from 2004 to 2012. We matched individuals with tongue SCC to those who have ACC of salivary gland. Matches were made for gender, age and treatment modalities. We compared their 5-year survival, rate of local, regional and distant failures. Results: We identified 1716 patients with TSCC and 313 cases with SGACC. Median follow up time was 2.07 years. The frequency of SGACC was significantly high in female likewise the frequency of TSCC in males (p≤0.001). SGACC tumor was more likely to be detected at an advanced stage (p≤0.001). The most often affected subsites in the TSCC tumor were the tongue (C02.9) (24.5%) and in SGACC tumor were the minor salivary gland (42.5%). There was a significant (P≤0.001) difference in overall survival in favor of female with SGACC and the combined-therapy group over the TSCC patients belong to the same group. The Kaplan–Meier estimates of overall survival at five years were 58% in the TSCC patients and 87% in the SGACC group. Conclusion: It is important for the clinicians be aware of the invasive nature of oral malignancies especially TSCC and SGACC. These lesions are associated with high recurrence rate and distant metastasis and poor prognosis. Early detection may enhance the survival rate of the patients. The overall survival is lower in TSCC than SGACC and the death rate is higher in these kinds of tumors. Key words: Diagnostics, Salivary glands, Cancer and pre-cancer, Squamous cell carcinoma.

Keywords

• Diagnostics
• Salivary glands
• Cancer and pre-cancer
• Squamous cell carcinoma