Clinical Behavior and Molecular Insights of Secretory Carcinoma of Salivary Glands, a Single Center Experience

Abstract

Objective: the study aimed to characterize the novel entity referred to as secretory carcinoma of the salivary glands. Methods: we comprehensively evaluated 150 patients afflicted by malignant salivary gland tumors who had been under treatment at the University of Verona. Inclusion criteria primarily focused on the availability of paraffin block materials and adequate follow-up data. Subsequently, we conducted a comprehensive Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) analysis, utilizing probes targeting NTRK-3, MALM-2, EWRS-1, HER-2, MDM-2, and NTRK1-2. Results: out of the initial cohort, 37 patients met the eligibility criteria for our study. We identified NTRK3 gene rearrangements in four patients (11%), two of whom had mucoepidermoid carcinoma, and the remaining two had acinic cell carcinoma. Notably, none of these patients had initially received a secretory carcinoma diagnosis. The primary treatment approach for all patients entailed surgical parotid gland resection. The overall survival (OS) for patients with NTRK3 rearrangements amounted to 78 months, with a corresponding progression-free survival (PFS) of 73 months. Conclusion: in summary, our case series suggests that secretory carcinomas exhibit a favorable clinical course and underscores the pivotal importance of distinguishing secretory carcinomas from other histological subtypes.