Acinic cell cancers of the parotid gland in children. Comments based on two affected girls.

Analysis of the literature and our own experiences with two pediatric cases of salivary gland tumors have yielded the following information: 1) under the age of five years, nearly all parotid tumors are mesenchymal in origin; 2) malignant tumors of the parotid during childhood occur much more often in girls than in boys; 3) mucoepidermoid carcinoma is the most common salivary gland malignancy in children; 4) the second next most common is of the undifferentiated variety; 5) acinic cell carcinoma, in general, represent fewer than 3 per cent of all salivary gland tumors, and two-thirds of these occur in females. Lymph node metastasis is rare, recurrence being usually local or blood borne; 6) Acinic cell carcinoma are rare in childhood. They are not highly malignant, yet capable of killing. Local recurrences are frequent. The best primary treatment would appear to be complete surgical excision. Blood borne metastases may develop more than 20 years after initial treatment.