Treatment of locally advanced, high-grade, malignant tumors of major salivary glands.

A retrospective review of 45 patients with Stage III and IV malignant tumors of the major salivary glands was undertaken to determine tumor control and patient survival after treatment with surgery and conventional ionizing-radiation therapy. Eight of the 23 patients received early postoperative radiotherapy after initial surgical resection, with a local control rate of 75%. Twelve of 23 patients had surgery as definitive treatment and the tumor recurred locally in all; seven of these 12 patients were subsequently salvaged by further surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy or by radiotherapy alone, with 58% ultimate local control. The remaining three patients had unresectable tumors at diagnosis and received radiation alone, with a local tumor control rate of 33%. Patients were also analyzed according to the extent of surgical resection prior to radiation therapy and according to radiation dose. Eighty-eight percent of completely resected, 50% of partially resected, and 44% of unresected tumors were locally controlled for an overall local control rate of 61%. The 5-year survival rate was significantly higher for patients with local tumor control than for patients who failed locally (31% vs. 0%).