A latest editorial paper was published in Oncoscience (Volume 10) on June 28, 2023, entitled, “Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the pinnacle and neck – treatment strategies of a highly malignant tumor with variable localizations.”

On this latest editorial, researchers Florian Dudde, Kai-Olaf Henkel and Filip Barbarewicz from the Army Hospital Hamburg discuss head and neck tumors, that are amongst essentially the most common malignancies. On this anatomical region, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is essentially the most common malignant entity. Nevertheless, there are also other malignant tumors that, unlike SCC, originate within the salivary glands of the pinnacle and neck region, equivalent to mucoepidermoid carcinoma or adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

On the whole, tumors originating from the minor salivary glands often show a better degree of malignancy than tumors of the most important salivary glands (parotid gland, submandibular gland, sublingual gland). Consequently, the ACC specifically is commonly localized in the world of the hard palate (small salivary glands). In rare cases, ACC has also been described in other regions of the pinnacle and neck region, equivalent to the paranasal sinuses or the tongue.

“In principle, ACC grow slowly and consequently often cause a scarcity of clinical symptoms.”

Their perivascular and perineural growth pattern can present therapeutic challenges, particularly in the pinnacle and neck region. The treatment of ACC in the pinnacle and neck region consists of surgical tumor resection with subsequent neck dissection and one- or two-stage plastic defect reconstruction. Severe ACC often require adjuvant radiotherapy.

“Proton therapy, as a special type of radiotherapy, seems to have decisive benefits with regard to the long-term survival of this highly malignant tumor originating from the small salivary glands.”

Source:

Journal reference:

Dudde, F., et al. (2023) Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the pinnacle and neck – treatment strategies of a highly malignant tumor with variable localizations. Oncoscience. doi.org/10.18632/oncoscience.581.