Postoperative radiation therapy for small, low-/intermediate-grade parotid tumors with close and/or positive surgical margins

Background Patients with small, low‐/intermediate‐risk parotid cancers, treated with surgery, and who have the single prognostic factor of close and/or positive margins, constitute an unusual subset. This study evaluates local control and morbidity associated with postoperative radiation therapy for low/intermediate grade parotid cancer in these patients. Methods Between 1999 and 2006, 17 patients underwent postoperative radiation therapy at Beth Israel Medical Center for acinic cell carcinoma or low‐intermediate‐grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid with close/positive margins. Pathology, treatment, and follow‐up data were retrospectively analyzed for morbidity and local control. Two‐ and 5‐year estimates of survival outcomes were performed followed by an analysis of complications. Results There were no local failures and no significant long‐term complications. Conclusions Patients with small, low‐risk cancer of the parotid gland have excellent local control and low treatment‐related morbidity when receiving postoperative radiation therapy for positive or close margins of resection. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2012