A assessment of remedy methods

A brand new editorial paper was printed in Oncoscience (Quantity 10) on June 28, 2023, entitled, “Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the pinnacle and neck – remedy methods of a extremely malignant tumor with variable localizations.”

On this new editorial, researchers Florian Dudde, Kai-Olaf Henkel and Filip Barbarewicz from the Military Hospital Hamburg talk about head and neck tumors, that are among the many commonest malignancies. On this anatomical area, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the commonest malignant entity. Nevertheless, there are additionally different malignant tumors that, not like SCC, originate within the salivary glands of the pinnacle and neck area, akin to mucoepidermoid carcinoma or adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

Normally, tumors originating from the minor salivary glands typically present the next diploma of malignancy than tumors of the key salivary glands (parotid gland, submandibular gland, sublingual gland). Consequently, the ACC particularly is commonly localized within the space of the onerous palate (small salivary glands). In uncommon instances, ACC has additionally been described in different areas of the pinnacle and neck area, such because the paranasal sinuses or the tongue.

“In precept, ACC develop slowly and consequently typically trigger a scarcity of scientific signs.”

Their perivascular and perineural progress sample can current therapeutic challenges, significantly within the head and neck area. The remedy of ACC within the head and neck area consists of surgical tumor resection with subsequent neck dissection and one- or two-stage plastic defect reconstruction. Extreme ACC typically require adjuvant radiotherapy.

“Proton remedy, as a particular type of radiotherapy, appears to have decisive benefits with regard to the long-term survival of this extremely malignant tumor originating from the small salivary glands.”