[Neck Dissection for salivary gland carcinoma]

Between 1986 and 1997, 18 patients with high-grade salivary gland malignancies were treated at our institution. Histologically, 7 of the 18 malignant tumors were adenoid cystic carcinomas. 4 were carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma, 3 were undifferentiated carcinomas and 4 were others. For treatment of the neck, 11 patients underwent neck dissection, 1 received supraomohyoid neck dissection (SOMH) and 7 received no neck treatment. In our study, there was no difference according to local-regional control as to whether to use neck dissection or not. The result do not suggest that prophylactic total neck dissection for salivary gland carcinoma show an impressive degree of improvement in local-regional control. Total neck dissection should be performed when the neck is clinically positive for a tumor. Based on the above findings, we concluded that SOMH is feasible for submandibullar gland cancer without positive lymph nodes.