The utility of fine needle aspiration in parotid malignancy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine clinical utility of fine needle aspiration (FNA) in parotid neoplasia.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
FNA and final pathology data were reviewed for patients who underwent parotidectomy for malignancy. Surgical outcomes were compared between patients with malignant cytology versus nonmalignant/nondiagnostic cytology.


RESULTS
Twenty-seven of 33 primary malignant parotid lesions underwent FNA. Seventeen (63.0%) patients were diagnosed with cancer on FNA. The remaining 16 patients did not undergo FNA (n = 6), had a nondiagnostic FNA specimen (n = 5), or were incorrectly diagnosed with a benign lesion (n = 5). Patients who went on to parotidectomy with intent to treat malignancy based on FNA had significantly higher rates of upfront neck dissections (47.1% vs 12.5%, P = 0.036) as well as clear pathological margins (70.6% vs 31.3%, P = 0.027) vs those with nonmalignant FNA diagnoses.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative FNA diagnosis of malignancy improves surgical treatment of parotid cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
FNA in the evaluation of parotid masses should strongly be considered.
Lin
Aaron C
AC
Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Bhattacharyya
Neil
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome