Metastatic disease to the parotid gland.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to review the clinico-pathologic findings and outcome of patients with metastasis to the parotid lymph nodes and gland.


METHODS
Retrospective study. Thirty-four out of 520 patients with a parotid mass treated at our institution met the criteria for this study. Age, gender, clinical findings, histopathology, treatment. and outcome were analyzed.


RESULTS
Twenty-three patients had metastases to parotid lymph nodes from a squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, seven from a cutaneous malignant melanoma after a mean interval of 15 months, two from a ductal breast carcinoma, one with a metastatic disease from a rhabdomyosarcoma of the lower limb, and one from a Merkel cell carcinoma. The 5-year cause-specific and absolute survival for squamous cell carcinoma was 64% and 48% respectively and 71% and 57% for malignant melanomas.


CONCLUSIONS
Metastatic disease to the parotid gland is mostly caused by squamous cell carcinoma. Despite combined treatment modalities long-term survival remains poor.
Nuyens
Michel
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bern, Inselspital, Berne, Switzerland. michel.nuyens@insel.ch
Schüpbach
Jonas
J
Stauffer
Edouard
E
Zbären
Peter
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000556:secondary*; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000556:secondary; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000601:surgery; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000556:secondary; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome