Clinical outcomes and prognostic indicators in parotid gland carcinomas: a single-center experience

Parotid gland cancers (PGC) are a heterogeneous group with different histological types and grades. This difference has implications for patient management and adjuvant treatment decisions.

This study aims to determine the poor prognostic factors affecting local control and survival in PGC.

A retrospective review of 42 patients treated for malignant parotid masses between January 2008 and December 2023. Risk factors analyzed included sex, age, histological grade, tumor size, stage, nodal involvement, perineural invasion (PNI), surgical margins, and additional treatments.

Of the 42 patients, 47.6% were male, and the median age was 44 years. The 5-year local relapse-free survival (LRFS) was 69.7%. Positive surgical margins significantly associated with lower LRFS rate (p = .007). The 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) was 83.9%, with surgical margin and T stage being significant prognostic factors (0.044 and 0.031, respectively). Advanced T stage was associated with a higher rate of preoperative facial nerve dysfunction (p = .004).

This study underscores the critical role of comprehensive diagnostic and individualized surgical strategies in the treatment of parotid gland malignancies.