1975년 1월부터 1984년 12월까지 원자력병원 치료 방사선과에서 악성 타액선 종양으로 방사선 치료를 받은 58명의 환자를 대상으로 하여 이들의 생존율을 후향적으로 분석하였다. 이들은 수술후 재발했거나, 수술이 불가능한 환자들이었다. 58명의 환자중 mucoepidermoid carcinoma를 가진 환자가 $43.1\%$, adenoid cystic carcinoma를 가진 환자는 $41.3\%$였다. 주 타액선 종양의 5년 보험생존율은 $68.2\%$, 10년 생존율은 $31.8\%$였으나, 무병생존율은 각각 $43.2\%;13.0\%$로써 치료 후 재발된 상태에서도 비교적 오래 산다는 것을 알 수 있었다. TNM staging에 의한 생존율도 $T_1$의 5년 생존율이 $86.5\%,;T_2+T_3$가 $40.0\%,;T_4$가 $0\%$로, T stage가 높아지면 질수록 생존율도 현저히 감소하였다. 병리조직학적 관점에서 볼 때, adenoid cystic carcinoma의 5년 무병생존율은 $40.1\%$로써, mucoepidermoid ca.의 $49.8\%$보다 낮았으나, 전체적인 생존율은 $77.3\%$로써, mucoepidermoid ca.의 $51.5\%$보다 현저히 높았다. 따라서, adenoid cystic carcinoma는 치료실패후 병을 가진 상태에서도 상당 기간 생존할 수 있다는 것을 알았으며, 평균 생존기간은 2년 이었다. 또한 mucoepidermoid ca.인 경우에는 세포의 분화정도에 따라 생존율이 달라졌는데, 저등도 분화세포의 5년 생존율이 $78.8\%$로 고등도 분화세포의 $38.2\%$보다 거의 2배나 높았다. 암의 위치와 성별에 따른 생존율의 차이는 없었다. Minor salivary gland tumor는 6명으로 5년 보험생존률은 $32.3\%$였다. 따라서 주 타액선 종양의 생존율에 영향을 끼칠 수 있는 예후 인자는 1) 병리조직학적 세포종류, 2) T와 N stages (AJCC), 3) mucoepidermoid carcinoma에 있어서 분화 정도 였다.
Retrospective analysis of survival rates was undertaken in the patients of 58 cases treated with conventional radiation therapy for malignant salivary gland tumors between January 1975 and December 1984 in Korea Cancer Center Hospital (KCCH). They were patients whose long-term follow-up was possible and who had refused surgery or had had recurrences postoperatively. Out of 58 patients, 25 patients ($43.1\%$) had mucoepidermoid carcinomas and 24 patients ($41.3\%$) adenoid cystic carcinoma. Total actuarial survival rates at 5 years and 10 years were $68.2\%;and;31.8\%$ respectively, but disease-free survival rates, $43.2\%;and;13.0\%$, respectively. According to TNM stage, the survival rates at 5 years were $86.5\%$ in $T_1,;40.0\%;in;T_2+T_3,;and;0\%;in;T_4$. In terms of histologic types, 5 years disease-free survival rate of adenoid cystic carcinomas ($40.1\%$) was lower than that of mucoepidermoid carcinomas ($49.8\%$) but overall survival rate ($77.3\%$) was much higher than that of mucoepidermoid carcinomas ($51.5\%$). There-fore, we concluded that the patients, who had had disease after failure of treatment, could survive during a certain period of time and their alive times were 2 years on the average. There was a difference in survival rates in the mucoepidermoid carcinomas in terms of histological grade of differentiation and it was a arbiter in prognosis: 5 YSR of low-grade was $78.8\%$ and higher 2 times than that of high-grade. There was no difference in survival rates according to location and sex. The number of patients having minor salivary gland tumors was 6 cases and their actuarial 5 YSR was $32.3\%$. Consequently, prognostic factors which influence the survival rates of patients with malignant salivary gland tumors are thought to be 1) histological subtypes 2) T and N staging (AJCC) 3) histological grade, especially in mucoepidermoids.
