Prevelence of multiple parotid tumors

Introduction:

Usually tumors of the parotid gland present as a single onesided mass. On the other hand, diagnostic imaging evaluation sometimes also describes multiple lesions on the same or on the contralateral side. The aim of this retrospective analysis is to investigate the frequency of multiple tumors of the parotid gland.

Patients and methods:

Between January 2015 and December 2016, 276 patients in our department underwent parotidectomy. All patients with multiple tumors in one or both parotid glands were retrospectively documented. We analyzed the histologic finding (benign or malignant), the localization (uni- or bilateral) as well as the time of appearance (synchronous or metachronous) of the lesions.

Results:

Among 276 patients, which underwent parotidectomy, we identified 28 (10%) with multiple tumors. In 15 (54%) cases, and thereby the most ones, we identified an ipsi- or bilateral cystadenolymphoma. In 28 (7%) cases a metachronous contralateral tumor was identified, one of them with a different histologic result. Eight (23%) patients showed ipsilateral synchronous lesions with different histologic findings.

Conclusion:

Tumors of the parotid gland presented as multiple lesions in 10% of the cases. Thereby cystadenolymphomas are the most common histologic type. It is particularly important to point out that synchronous masses can also have different entities. Also malignant and benign lesions can occur at the same time. Therefore a careful preoperative examination is required, usually with ultrasound or in some cases with MRI. A histological investigation of all lesions is always required.

Publication History

Publication Date:
23 April 2019 (online)