Abstract
Objective Describe the clinical course and outcomes of patients with primary acinic cell carcinoma
(ACC) of the parotid gland with skull base invasion or metastasis.
Design Retrospective case series (1995–2011) at a single institution.
Results Ten patients met study criteria. Mean and median time from initial diagnosis of parotid
ACC to development of skull base disease were 14.6 and 10.2 years, respectively. Two
patients demonstrated skull base disease on initial presentation. Those who pursued
further treatment after developing disease at the skull base underwent surgery (4/7),
stereotactic radiosurgery (4/7), or external beam radiation (3/7). The 10-year Kaplan-Meier
estimated overall survival after initial diagnosis of parotid ACC was 80%. Once skull
base invasion occurred, 2-year estimated overall survival was 50%.
Conclusion Although primary ACC of the parotid generally caries an excellent prognosis, tumor
control with cranial base disease is difficult and the majority of patients present
with late aggressive recurrences. Our observations underscore the importance of long-term
follow-up in this patient group.
Keywords
acinic cell carcinoma - salivary tumors - skull base - cranial base
