Clinicopathological Behavior and Treatment-related Outcome of Rare Salivary Duct Carcinoma: The Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Experience

Background Salivary gland tumors are rare salivary gland malignancies with resemblance to ductal breast carcinoma. We have described clinicopathological behavior and treatment outcomes of this rare malignancy. Methods Salivary duct carcinoma patients treated from 2010 to 2015 were retrospectively analyzed for clinicopathological characteristics and treatment-related outcomes of the disease. Results A total of 12 patients with salivary duct carcinoma were included in the study. All were males with mean age of 52.58 ± 13.43. Parotid gland was the most commonly involved major salivary gland while buccal mucosa and anterior tongue were most common oral cavity sub-sites involving minor salivary glands. The disease-free survival was 75% at 10 months and 25% at 20 months. The mean follow-up time was 12 months. There were three local recurrences and one distant metastasis. Conclusion Salivary duct carcinoma is a locally aggressive tumor with tendency for local recurrence and distant metastasis. Adverse features such as perineural invasion, extra-capsular spread and advanced nodal disease may worsen prognosis.