title: A case of parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma complicated by fatal gastrointestinal bleeding.
abstract: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is one of the most common of the salivary gland neoplasms. Histologically, it is classified as either a low-, intermediate-, or high-grade tumor, and there are significant differences in prognosis among the different grades. Patients with low-grade disease have an excellent chance of survival. High-grade tumors behave aggressively, and they frequently manifest as local recurrences and distant metastases. We describe a case of a high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland that had metastasized to the skin, stomach, and liver. The disease culminated in a rapidly fatal bleeding from the stomach metastasis. Such a complication is unusual and to our knowledge has not been previously reported. We briefly discuss the clinical features, biologic behavior, and treatment of this tumor.
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck/Plastic, Reconstructive, and Burns Surgery, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong SAR. edwardto@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: To
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Tsang
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*