The mucoepidermoid tumour arises from the duct cells and is the most common salivary gland malignancy, accounting for about one third of such tumours. Any age may be affected; they constitute the commonest salivary gland tumours of childhood.
About 60-70% occur in the parotids, 15-20% in the minor salivary glands, and 10% in the submaxillary glands.
Macroscopically, mucoepidermoid tumours are firm, encapsulated and greyish red. Microscopically, squamous and glandular elements indicate a ductal epithelium origin; diffuse infiltration with mucin indicates a high grade tumour.
They are slowly growing with a tendency to local recurrence, but regional lymph node spread occurs in 30% of cases, and distant metastases in 15%.
After treatment by excision, low grade forms have an excellent prognosis with survival rates at 5 years of about 90%; for high grade forms, 5 year survival falls to 30%. Radiotherapy may be used as an adjunct for high grade lesions.
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