A retrospective review of 91 patients with submandibular gland carcinoma seen between 1958 and 1984, is reported. Among these were 37 (41%) adenoidcystic carcinomas, 14 (15%) adenocarcinomas, 14 (15%) mucoepidermoid carcinomas, and 10 (11%) malignant mixed tumors. The median patient age was 58 (26-93) [corrected] years and the male to female ratio was was 1.2:1. At diagnosis, 15 (16.5%) patients had regional metastases and six (7%) had distant metastases. The first planned treatment was surgery in 30 (33%) patients, radiotherapy in five (5%), and surgery and radiotherapy combined in 54 (59%) patients. The 5- and 10-year cause-specific survival rates were 60 and 48%, respectively, and the relapse-free rates 42 and 34%. The locoregional control at 5 years was 30% when surgery was the only treatment, and 69% when combined with radiation. These results suggest the advantages of combining surgery and radiotherapy as the first planned treatment for most tumors.