Salivary gland tumours treated in the stomatological clinics in Bratislava

During the period of 1951-1996 a group of 1021 patients (484 men and 537 women, mean age 53 years, range 2-87 years) with salivary gland tumours were analysed retrospectively. The mean follow-up period was 8 years (range 10 months-25 years). The frequency of benign tumours was 74% (n = 755) and malignant tumours 26% (n = 266). Lesions were sited in the parotid gland 83% (n = 847), in the submandibular gland 10.8% (n = 110), in the sublingual gland 3.2% (n = 33) and in the minor salivary glands 3% (n = 31). The most common benign tumours were pleomorphic adenoma in 53.9% (n = 550) and Warthin's tumour 9.7% (n = 99). Of the malignancies, the adenoid cystic carcinoma was most common (6.4% of cases, n = 65) and mucoepidermoid carcinoma occurred in 5.2% (n = 53). The predominant therapy was surgery alone or in combination with postoperative radiotherapy in 93.7% (957 cases), radiotherapy alone after fine needle aspiration biopsy for 4.7%, and 19 patients remained untreated.