[Giant pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland]

Slow evolution pleomorphic parotid adenoma may be diagnosed late. These giant tumors have a functional, esthetic, and social impact. They raise prognostic issues because of the risk of degeneration. We present a case of a giant pleomorphic adenoma involving the parotid glands and try to explain the reasons for the diagnostic delay and describe therapeutic specificities.

A 54 year-old male patient consulted for swelling of the parotid region slowly evolving over the last 10 years. This lesion had been unsuccessfully treated by conventional methods. A painless 20cm long plurinodular mass was located in the right lateral cervical region. Its consistence was heterogeneous. The CT scan revealed a heterogeneous tumor with hyperdense and hypodense areas without any associate lesions. A total conservative parotidectomy was performed; the anatomopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a pleomorphic adenoma, weighing 1.2kg for a diameter of 19cm, without malignant degeneration. The postoperative evolution was uneventful.

The recommended treatment for giant parotid adenoma is total conservative parotidectomy. Besides its functional and esthetic impact, the giant parotid adenoma is at high risk of malignant degeneration. Documentation on the nature of the lesion, its evolutive potential, and an early surgical management could limit its incidence.