Oncocytic mucoepidermoid carcinoma of parotid gland origin

This article reports 3 cases of oncocytic mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland and compares them with 9 cases from the literature with emphasis on clinical behavior, treatment, and recurrence rate. The tumor occurs most often in the middle-aged to elderly, with a decided predilection for the parotid gland. All three oncocytic mucoepidermoid carcinomas from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology series were low grade with extensive oncocytic change. Treatment modalities consisted of superficial parotidectomy, total parotidectomy, or total parotidectomy. The mean follow-up interval was 5.5 years. Only one case from the literature, a high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma, recurred. Results of this study indicate that the parotid gland oncocytic mucoepidermoid carcinoma behaves in a fashion similar to typical mucoepidermoid carcinoma, with prognosis dependent on clinical stage, histopathologic grade, and adequacy of treatment. Recognizing the spectrum of oncocytic differentiation in salivary gland tumors will serve to establish appropriate diagnoses and treatment.