Clinicopathological pattern of malignant parotid gland tumors in Saudi Arabia

To report our experience of varied presentations and diverse histopathological spectrum of parotid gland malignancies.

This retrospective analysis incorporated patients with histological evidence of malignant parotid tumors at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia over a 20-year period from 1984 through 2004. The medical records of these patients were analyzed for their demographic characteristics, clinical features, operations performed, and pathological diversity.

Thirty-two patients comprised this study group. There is a male preponderance over females with a ratio of 2.2:1 (22 men and 10 women) and mean age of 51.8 (range 28-81 years). A painless lump was the most frequent clinical manifestation observed in 23 (71.8%) patients followed by facial nerve dysfunction in 14 (43.7%) patients. Parotidectomy was performed in 22 (68.7%) patients: 16 superficial and 6 total. A partial facial nerve sacrifice was undertaken in 14 (43.7%), and total nerve sacrifice in 9 (28.1%) patients. Four (12.5%) patients presented with cervical lymph node metastases necessitating radical neck dissection. Nine (28.1%) patients had mucoepidermoid carcinoma, 8 (25%) adenoid cystic carcinoma, 6 (18.7%) adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified, and 2 (6.2%) were reported to have carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma. Twenty (62.5%) specimens revealed high-grade aggressive lesions, and out of these, 19 (59.3%) patients presented with stage III/IV disease.

Malignant parotid tumors are exceedingly rare, occurring at a relatively earlier age group with male preponderance, and invariably declare at a late clinical stage in our community. Histopathological features hallmark a locally advanced disease with an aggressive behavior.