¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in Progressive Oncocytic Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland-Case Study

Oncocytic carcinoma of the salivary glands is a very rare entity, that mainly presents in the parotid gland, either arises de-novo or is being associated with a benign oncocytoma in up to 50%. Our patient was a 60 years old male with histopathological finding of oncocytic (oxyphilic) carcinoma originating from the parotid gland with metastasis in cervical lymph nodes (postoperative stage IVA, pTNM = pT2 pN2b pMx G2 R0). On the initial preoperative ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) increased metabolic activity was seen in level IB and IIA cervical lymph nodes, suspicious for metastasis. Surgical biopsy of the parotid gland revealed oncocytic carcinoma, and then radical surgery was performed. Afterwards, patients started with immunotherapy, but because of disease progression (metastasis in the cervical, axillary, mediastinal lymph nodes and thyroid) detected on the control PET/CT scans, he was switched to chemotherapy. The patient died four years after being diagnosed with the primary cancer.