The management of salivary gland tumors of the palate.

A study of 22 consecutive patients with palatal salivary gland tumors treated in a structured fashion with primary surgery followed by postoperative radiation therapy, where indicated, and followed for a mean of 7.6 years, showed excellent results clinically, esthetically, and functionally, with no recurrence or metastatic deposits to date. Depending on the type of tumor, the surgery consisted of local enucleation, wide local excision with localized flap closure, or inferior maxillectomy with reconstruction by means of an obturator.