title: Carcinoma of the parotid gland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The low incidence and heterogeneity of histiotypes of primary parotid carcinomas makes these tumors histologically and epidemiologically difficult to evaluate. The present study reviews a single institution's experience in the treatment of primary parotid carcinomas during the last 10 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of 98 consecutive patients who had a primary parotid carcinoma and who received primary curative treatment were analyzed retrospectively. The tumors were grouped into high-grade and low-grade malignancies. The effect of treatment modalities on locoregional control, the incidence of locoregional recurrences and distant metastases, and survival rates are evaluated and compared between high- and low-grade malignancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High- and low-grade malignant tumors were observed in 50 and 48 cases, respectively. Lymph node metastases were detected in 25 of 98 (25%) patients, of whom 8 of 22 (22%) clinically NO staged patients underwent elective neck dissection. In 24 of 26 resected facial nerves, a histologic tumor infiltration was confirmed, in 14 high-grade and 10 low-grade tumors. Local recurrence developed in 13 patients and was associated in 7 with high-grade and in 6 with low-grade tumors. All but 1 of the low-grade malignancies with local recurrence did not receive postoperative irradiation. Regional recurrence developed in 11 patients and distant metastases developed in 10, 3 in combination with a neck recurrence and 1 with a local recurrence. The survival rate at 5 years for low- and high-grade carcinomas was 87% and 56% and the disease-free survival rate 72% and 48%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of occult metastases in clinically N0-elective neck dissection was 22%. A routine elective neck dissection in all N0 parotid carcinomas is suggested. There is no statistically significant difference between low- and high-grade tumors as for the rate of local recurrence and, as all except one of the low-grade malignancies with local recurrence did not receive postoperative irradiation, postoperative irradiation is not only suggested for high-grade carcinomas but also for T2 to T4 low-grade carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head, and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, CH-3000 Berne, Switzerland. peter.zbaeren@insel.ch
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zbären
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schüpbach
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nuyens
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stauffer
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Häusler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome