A retrospective study of the treatment for epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the risk of locoregional recurrence (LRR) and the influencing factors for long-term survival in patients with epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMCa). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 18 EMCa patients, who received initial therapy or initial adjuvant therapy in our hospital from 1999 to 2015, to investigate their survival. Among these patients, 8(44%) underwent surgery alone, 9(50%) received adjuvant radiotherapy, and 1(6%) received radical concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were compared between these groups. The Kaplan-Meier mtthod was used to calculated survival rates and log-rank test was used to compare the LRFS. Results With a median follow-up time of 46 months, 5 patients developed LRR, and the 5-year LRFS and OS rates were 69% and 93%, respectively. The patients treated with radiotherapy had a significantly higher 5-year LRRFS rate than those not treated with radiotherapy (71% vs. 57%, P=0.569). Conclusions LRR is the main failure mode of EMCa treatment, and further improving local control is the key to improved survival. Key words: Head and neck neoplasms/surgery; Head and neck neoplasms/radiotherapy; Epithelial myoepithelial carcinoma