[Primary cancer of the parotid gland: an anatomoclinical approach]

Carcinoma of the parotid gland presents a wide variety of clinical presentations, behaviors and prognoses. The aim of this study was to define the characteristic clinical presentations and the prognostic factors of these tumors.

Sixty-six patients with carcinoma of the parotid gland seeing during the 1985-2003 period were included in this study. Mean patient age was 55 years; the sex-ratio was 1.

The most common histological types of this series were mucoepidermoid carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma. Stage I tumors were reported in 59% the series while only 18% the patients of this series had stage III and IV disease. Pain was reported in 45% all patients. Facial nerve clinical involvement was reported in 11% all patients.

Both tumoral stage and histological grading are independent prognostic factors influencing the therapeutic strategy. Clinical course and tumor growth distinguished between malignant tumors with benign clinical behavior and malignant tumors with malignant clinical behavior. A preoperative workup with physical examination, fine needle cytology and MRI helps to define the preoperative diagnostic and to adapt the therapeutic strategy.