salivary gland cancer
Last reviewed 01/2018
Malignant salivary gland tumors are divided histologically into low-grade and high-grade malignancies:
- Low-grade malignancies:
- acinic cell tumors
- mucoepidermoid carcinoma (grades I or II)
- High-grade malignancies:
- mucoepidermoid carcinoma (grade III)
- adenocarcinoma:
- poorly differentiated carcinoma
- anaplastic carcinoma
- squamous cell carcinoma
- malignant mixed tumours
- adenoid cystic carcinoma
The malignant tumours commonly affecting the major salivary glands include:
- mucoepidermoid carcinoma
- acinic cell carcinoma,
- adenoid cystic carcinoma, and less frequently,
- primary squamous cell carcinomas
- pleomorphic adenomas, often derived from benign neoplasms
Among minor salivary glands:
- adenoid cystic carcinoma is the most common
- adenocarcinoma
- mucoepidermoid carcinoma
Ref: US National Cancer Instute Salivary Gland Cancer (PDQ®): Treatment
acinic cell carcinoma of the salivary gland
mucoepidermoid tumour of the salivary gland
squamous cell carcinoma of the salivary gland