[Primary oncocytic carcinoma of the salivary glands: a clinical and pathologic study of 12 cases].

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinicopathological feature of oncocytic carcinoma of the salivary gland, and discuss diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. METHODS: From March 2001 to September 2010, the clinical data and pathological features of 12 cases of oncocytic carcinoma of the salivary gland in Zhejiang Cancer Hospital were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. All cases are followed up. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival curves by SPSS 16.0 software package. RESULTS: The tumors were found mainly as a painless, irregular-shaped mass or lymphadenectasis in the head and neck firstly. Pathologically, oncocytic carcinoma of salivary gland origin was an extremely rare proliferation of malignant oncocytes with adenocarcinomatous architectural phenotypes, including prominent nucleoli and infiltrative qualities. Surgery was the principal treatment, and postoperative radiotherapy was used as adjuvant treatment. Of the 12 cases with follow-up for 6 to 120 months, 7 cases survived without regional or distant metastases. 1 case survived with regional and distant metastases. 2 cases died of regional recurrences.1 case had lymphatic metastasis and died of distant metastasis finally.1 case had given up therapy and died of tumor progress ultimately. 3 cases had local recurrence within 2 years, and the recurrence rate was 25%; 3 cases died within 2 years, and the mortality rate was 25%. CONCLUSIONS: Oncocytic carcinoma of salivary gland origin is an extremely rare tumor in head and neck, with short course and rapid progress. Radical resection postoperative radiotherapy is the treatment of choice. The prognosis of oncocytic carcinoma may be associated with tumor stage, regional lymph node metastases and complete surgical excision.