Management of Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors: A 20-Year SEER Database Analysis

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery

Abstract

Objective

Malignant salivary gland tumors represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with variable management. This study evaluated trends in therapeutic approaches to these cancers to inform evidence-based, personalized care and optimize patient outcomes.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Population-based analysis using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

Methods

Cases of malignant salivary gland tumors diagnosed between 2000 and 2021 were categorized by treatment modality and stage at diagnosis. Trends over time were assessed using JoinPoint segmented log-linear regression.

Results

A total of 24,029 patients were included. Surgery alone (36.3%) and surgery with adjuvant radiation (36.5%) comprised the majority of treatments. Chemotherapy alone increased significantly over time (annual percent change [APC] +5.81%; 95% CI, 3.46-9.24; P < .05), though it remained infrequently used. Combined modalities including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation also showed modest growth over the study period. Stage analysis revealed increasing proportions of localized and regional tumors and a decline in distant disease.

Conclusion

Surgery remains the cornerstone of malignant salivary gland tumor management, but use of combined treatment approaches is rising, likely reflecting advances in systemic therapies and radiation techniques. Awareness of these trends is critical for guiding multidisciplinary, personalized care. Future studies integrating clinical outcomes and histologic subtype are warranted to clarify the role of expanding systemic and combined modalities.

DOI

10.1002/ohn.70375

Publication Date

8-17-2026

Keywords

head and neck cancer, salivary gland neoplasms, SEER database, population-based analysis, treatment trends

ISSN

1097-6817

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