Adenoid cystic carcinoma. Analysis of fifty oral cases.

Fifty cases of oral minor salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) are analyzed and reported. Oral ACC frequently masquerades as a benign neoplasm, and in the majority of cases there is no pain or ulceration. The most common location is in the palate; a plea is made for incisional biopsy of all oral lesions suspected of salivary gland origin. Survival rates show a progressive decrease with time, and there were no survivors beyond 20 years. In this study, there was a positive correlation between duration of the lesion before diagnosis and the salvage rate, but no correlation was found with the size of the presenting lesion.