Head & neck acinar cell carcinoma: a population-based study using the seer registry

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Head and Neck Surgery
• Cancer Epidemiology

Background:

• Head and neck acinar cell carcinoma (HNACC) is a rare malignancy.
• Understanding its clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment, and prognostic factors is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively explore the clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment modalities, and prognostic factors of head and neck acinar cell carcinoma (HNACC).
• To identify independent predictors of survival for patients diagnosed with HNACC.

Main Methods:

• A population-based study utilizing data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1975-2016).
• Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox multivariate regression were employed to compare overall survival (OS) and HNACC-specific survival based on clinicopathologic variables.

Main Results:

• A cohort of 2624 primary HNACC cases was analyzed, with a majority originating from salivary glands (2416 cases).
• Surgery demonstrated a favorable association with improved disease-specific survival (DSS) and OS.
• Independent prognostic factors for survival included gender, age, pathological grade, and TNM/AJCC stage.

Conclusions:

• Surgical intervention emerged as the sole favorable prognostic indicator for both DSS and OS in HNACC patients.
• Demographic and disease-specific factors such as gender, age, pathological differentiation, and TNM/AJCC stage significantly influence survival outcomes.