Parotid tumors in children

Most salivary gland tumors, both benign and malignant, develop within the parotid glands. Although an overwhelming majority of tumors are reported in the adult population, the parotid glands are also the most frequently involved salivary glands in the pediatric age group. This study represents a combination of case material from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and our personal experiences. Of approximately 10,000 salivary gland lesions accessioned in all ages, only 124 tumors occurred in the parotid gland in children less than fifteen years old. There were ninety benign and thirty-four malignant lesions. The two most common benign masses were mixed tumors and vascular lesions. The most common malignancies were the mucoepidermoid and acinic cell carcinomas. We recommended that all solid tumors be removed by parotidectomy.