Metastatic carcinoma of the prostate presenting as parotid tumour

Two patients are described in each of whom metastatic prostatic carcinoma presented as a tumour of the parotid gland. In one, primary prostate cancer had been diagnosed three years prior to the appearance of what was believed clinically to be an unrelated salivary lesion. In the other a neck swelling was the first indication of disease, although subsequent investigation revealed widespread metastases. Biopsy of each tumour showed an adenocarcinoma with immunohistochemical expression of prostate markers. These cases, and the six previous reports, illustrate the need to consider metastatic carcinoma from the prostate in the assessment of any malignant tumour of the salivary glands in men of advancing years.