The initial evaluation of patients with malignant tumors of the head and neck must include an attempt to determine the presence or absence of distant metastases so that the patient's tumor can be accurately staged and appropriate treatment planned. To determine the value of routine bone and liver scans in detecting distant metastases, the records of 169 patients with head and neck carcinoma, on whom such scans were performed, were reviewed retrospectively.

A review of submaxillary gland neoplasms over a 21 year period revealed 15 malignancies and 7 benign tumors. All of the malignancies occurred in females, and 11 of these were adenoid cystic carcinoma. Two of the 11 were found to have infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast (1 pre and 1 postdiagnosis of the submaxillary carcinoma) and 3 had benign breast disease. While previous reports have suggested an association of parotid gland neoplasia and breast cancer, this is the first known report of an association between adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submaxillary gland and cancer of the breast. The discussion of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submaxillary gland emphasizes the increased frequency of this disease in females, its association with breast disease, and also experimental submaxillary gland neoplasia.