Keywords: salivary gland tumors, epidemiology, parotid

Abstract: A retrospective study of 183 cases of salivary gland was made based on WHO's classification (1991). The clinic-epidemiologic data were retrieved from the records of the Medical Clinics and Laboratórios of Medical and Oral Pathology. 74,3% of the tumors were found in major glands; 25,7% affected the minor ones. The parotid gland was affected in 58,9°l0 of the cases. For the minor glands, the palate was more commonly envolved (53,1%). In the major glands, 69,0% of the tumors were benign. On the other hand, 51,0% of the tumors were malignant in minor glands. In both glands, pleomorphic adenoma was the more common tumor. Adenoid cystic carcinoma was more frequent malignant tumor in the major glands, while the polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma was more frequent in the minors. Most of the lesions were presented as asymptomatic nodular swellings. Cutaneous and mucosal ulceras, pain, bone invasion and hemifacial paralysis were recognized between the malignant lesions. Our findings were in accordance with those of the literature.