Metastatic disease to the parotid gland

OBJECTIVES: 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.