Tumours of heterotopic salivary tissue in the upper cervical region in children.

Heterotopic salivary tumours in the upper neck are rare. Three children, one with mucoepidermoid carcinoma and two with pleomorphic adenoma in ectopic cervical sites are presented. Local complete excision was successful in the patients with pleomorphic adenoma. More extensive surgery was undertaken for the mucoepidermoid carcinoma. All three patients remain disease free at 3-6 years follow-up. Oncogenesis of heterotopic salivary tissue entrapped in an upper cervical lymph node during embryogenesis is a possible etiological mechanism. In a patient with a cervical malignant salivary tumour, a careful search should be made to find a primary tumour. In the event of a negative search, this should be considered the primary tumour and treated appropriately.