SALIVARY GLAND TUMOURS IN A SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIAN TEACHING HOSPITAL: AN 8-YEAR REVIEW

Salivary Gland Tumours in South-South Nigeria

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Salivary gland tumours consist of a variety of 
benign and malignant lesions with different patterns of presentation.  
The pattern of presentation in the University of Port Harcourt 
Teaching Hospital (UPTH) has not been reported in English 
literature. 
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to determine the age, 
gender, sites and histological types of salivary gland tumours seen in 
the UPTH and to compare their pattern of presentation to those 
reported. 
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of all patients 
diagnosed of salivary gland tumours at the Oral Pathology 
Department of UPTH from January 2008 to December 2015 were 
retrospectively reviewed. The variables analyzed from the case notes 
of these patients were; the age, gender, site and histological types

RESULTS: The total number of biopsies during this period was 374 
and 29 (7.8%) of patients presented with salivary gland tumours, 
consisting of 20 (69%) female and 9 (31%) male. The age of the 
patients range from 10-68 years with a mean age of 44.3 (±15.3 SD) 
years. Over 70% of the patients were above 30 years in age. The most 
common site was the palate with 18 (62.1%) cases and the least 
affected site was the tongue with 1 (3.4%) case. Majority of the 
salivary gland tumours were malignant with 28 (96.6%) cases, while 
only 1 (3.4%) case was benign. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma was the 
most prominent tumour followed by polymorphous low grade 
adenocarcoma. 
CONCLUSION: Salivary gland tumours are relatively rare in our 
environment especially the benign lesions. Most cases affected 
patients above 30 years of age and the minor salivary glands of the 
palate are mostly affected. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma was the most 
common histologically diagnosed lesion.