Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of salivary glands in the pediatric age group: 18 clinical cases, including 11 second malignant neoplasms.

BACKGROUND Salivary gland tumors represent 1% of head and neck tumors, with only 5% of these occurring in patients younger than 20 years. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is one of the most frequent salivary gland cancers among adults and children. METHODS This survey was conducted among 34 French pediatric oncology departments. From 1980 to 2000, 18 cases were reported. RESULTS Treatment included surgery or radiotherapy, or both. The 5-year survival rate was 93.7%. Eleven patients had been previously treated by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy for a first malignant tumor, specifically, lymphoid leukemia (n = 4), lymphoma (n = 3), brain tumor (n = 2), sarcoma (n = 1), and retinoblastoma (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS MEC is very rare in the pediatric age group. Treatment involves surgical removal of the tumor plus radiotherapy, according to histologic staging. MEC has a good prognosis in young patients. The survival rate does not differ in the subgroup of patients with MEC as a secondary tumor.