Parotid gland tumours in a West Indian population: Comparison to world trends

The epidemiology of parotid gland tumours in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean is currently unknown. Therefore, an analysis of the pathological records was conducted to determine the pattern of this disease in Trinidad and Tobago. A retrospective analysis was conducted on all parotid gland tumours and the demographic and histological data were analysed. Data from 60 cases were collected over a period of 8 years (October, 2003 to February, 2012), including 56 primary and 4 secondary tumours (1 basal cell carcinoma and 3 metastatic tumours). The patients included 31 men and 29 women, with a mean age of 48.7 years and an age range of 21-73 years (peak age, 51-60 years). The surgical interventions included 53 superficial parotidectomies, 6 radical parotidectomies and 1 biopsy. Of the 56 primary tumours, 41 were benign [34 pleomorphic adenomas and 7 Warthin's tumours (adenolymphomas)], accounting for 73.2% of the cases. The malignant lesions included 6 squamous cell carcinomas, 3 mucoepidermoid carcinomas, 2 acinic cell carcinomas, 2 adenoid cystic carcinomas, 1 anaplastic carcinoma and 1 papillary carcinoma, accounting for 26.8% of the total cases, without any age predominance. The pattern of disease distribution was similar to that indicated by worldwide data, with benign primary lesions accounting for ~80% of the cases (pleomorphic adenomas, 80% and Warthin's tumours, 20%). The most common carcinomas were mucoepidermoid and adenoid cystic types, as indicated by worldwide data; however, in our series, squamous cell carcinoma was the most common type, followed by mucoepidermoid, acinic cell and adenoid cystic carcinomas. The present study will hopefully provide useful information on parotid pathology in Trinidad and Tobago and encourage further research in this field.