Prognostic Factors in Malignant Sublingual Salivary Gland Tumors

The present study identified the prognostic factors and outcomes for malignant sublingual salivary gland tumors, which are rare.

A retrospective cohort study of patients treated for malignant sublingual salivary gland tumors from 1997 to 2011 was performed. The predictor variables, including age, gender, tumor stage, nodal stage, perineural invasion, margin status, and lymphovascular invasion, were analyzed. The Cox regression model was used to determine the prognostic factors for locoregional recurrence, distant metastasis, and survival.

Of the 38 patients, 16 (42.1%) were men. Their mean age was 53 years (range 36 to 75). A total of 11 patients (28.9%) had T3-T4 tumors, and 6 (15.8%) had positive neck lymph nodes. The recurrence rate at 5 years was 18.4%. The distant metastasis rate at 5 years was 23.7%. Multivariable analysis confirmed the independent prognostic importance of patient age, N stage, and limited tongue mobility in locoregional recurrence and mortality at 5 years.

Our results suggest that patient age, N stage, and limited tongue mobility are useful as independent predictors of locoregional recurrence and mortality in patients with malignant sublingual salivary gland tumors.