Clinical predictors of malignancy in palatal salivary gland tumors

To establish a predictive clinical index of malignancy risk in palatal salivary gland tumors (PSGT).

One hundred cases of PSGT were evaluated. Clinical data were retrieved from the patient's files. Representative clinical photographs of each tumor were evaluated to identify clinical features suggestive of a malignant tumor. Features significantly associated with malignancy were included in a binary logistic regression model.

Malignant tumors were more common in the hard palate, in women and in older patients. Features associated with a malignant diagnosis included pain (p = .017), irregular surface (p = .004), bluish/purple coloration (p < .001), ulceration (p = .005), and telangiectasia (p = .015). After multivariate logistic regression, pain (OR: 4.017; 95% CI: 1.198-13.471; p = .024) and color alteration (OR: 7.243; 95% CI: 2.068-25.363; p = .002) were independently associated with malignancy. Including these factors in a predictive index, the proportion of malignant tumors in patients presenting none, one and two factors were 25% (95% CI: 0.13-0.40), 67% (95% CI: 0.48-0.83), and 85% (95% CI: 0.42-0.99), respectively.

Pain and color alteration might be independent predictors of malignancy in PSGT, which could support the decision to perform an incisional or excisional biopsy.