THE HISTOPATHOLOGICAL PATTERN OF SALIVARY GLAND TUMORS

Abstract

Background: Salivary glands are seromucinous exocrine glands concerned with production and secretion of saliva. The objectives of this study were to determine the distribution and histopathological pattern of salivary gland tumors.
Material & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Pathology Department of Bannu Medical College, Bannu, KPK, Pakistan from 1st January, 2011 to 31st December, 2015. Sample size was 78 patients with salivary gland tumors. Demographic variables were; gender, age in years and age groups. Research variables were; type of tumor, type of benign tumor, type of malignant tumor and anatomical site of tumors. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.
Results: Out of a total of 78 patients with salivary gland tumors, the ratio of male to female was 1.2:1. The mean age of the sample was 31.22 ±11.23 years and range was from 13 to 58 years i.e 45 years. The common age group in benign tumors was 21-30 years in 46 (69.69%), followed by 31-40 years in 13 (19.69%) and 10-20 years in 4 (6.06%) cases, whereas in malignant tumors the most common age group was 41-50 years in 9 (75%) and 51-60 years in 3 (25%) cases. Amongst these salivary gland tumors, benign were 66 (84.61%) and malignant 12 (15.38%).
Conclusion: Pleomorphic adenoma was the commonest benign salivary gland tumor and mucoepidermoid carcinoma was the commonest malignant tumor. Most common site for major salivary gland tumors was parotid and for minor salivary gland tumors was palate, especially in males in their fourth decade of life.