Adenoid cystic carcinoma of head and neck

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a relatively rare tumor of head and neck. Due to lack of high-quality evidence, optimal treatment still controversial and continues to evolve over time. We conducted a retrospective review of 26 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of head and neck treated between 1993 and 2015 in the radiation oncology center of Habib Bourguiba Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia. Demographic, clinical, treatment, and survival details of the patients were collected and analyzed. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. The mean age of patients in the study was 51 years (range:16-73 years), with a male preponderance (54%vs.46%). The most commonly primary disease sites were the parotid glands (34.6%), the oral cavity (19.66%) and the submandibular glands (11.5%). More than half the patients presented with earlier-stage disease (T1/2:73%); most had a negative nodal status (92.3%). Twenty-four patients (92.4%) received surgery with adjuvant RT; one (3,8%) RT only and another (3.8%) surgery only. Forteen (53.8%) patients had positive margins and no additional patients had close margins. Perineural invasion (PNI) was documented in 8 (32%) patients. The median time to any recurrence was 21 months (range:3-204 months). Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 62% and 53%. Solid histological subtype, positive surgical margins, PNI and advanced stages were predictors of poor outcome in adenoid cystic carcinoma of head and neck. Surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy remains the treatment of choice that may provide local control and prolong patient survival.