Salivary gland tumors: a single institutional experience

ABSTRACT

Tumors of the salivary glands are uncommon. They may be broadly categorized into benign, neoplasms, tumor like conditions and malignant neoplasms. Most salivary gland tumors arise in the parotid gland. The remaining tumors arise in the submandibular, sublingual and minor salivary glands dispersed throughout the aerodigestive submucosa. To study the pattern of salivary gland tumors distribution in Jordan University Hospital [JUH]. This is a retrospective study of cases of salivary gland tumors in JUH, where we collected cases from 2000 - 2011 and classified them into epithelial and non-epithelial tumors, and the epithelial tumors were classified according to the revised WHO 2005 classification of salivary gland tumors. We also studied the age and sex distribution of these cases. Of the 80 salivary gland tumors, 68 were epithelial tumors, 12 were hematolymphoid and benign mesenchymal tumors. Of the epithelial tumors, 57 were benign and 11 were malignant, with a male to female ratio of 31. Most tumors originated from the parotid gland, and most of them are benign tumors. Compared to other studies, there were more benign tumors than malignant ones, and more parotid tumors than other salivary gland tumors. There was a striking male predominance in most tumors