Benign and malignant tumors of the parotid gland. A multicenter analysis of 1.020 cases: Increasing incidence of Warthin’s tumor

Background Salivary gland tumours account approximately 3-5 % of all neoplasms of the head and neck region. The majority of salivary gland neoplasms are benign, and the parotid gland is the most affected site. We assessed the frequency of the parotid gland tumors and correlated gender and age in different tumor types.

Methods Retrospective data were obtained from three major otorhinolaryngology clinics in Karlsruhe and Pforzheim, Germany within a 10-year period.

Results In total, 1,020 cases of parotidectomy for benign and malignant lesions were identified. We found 864 (84.7 %) and 156 (15.3 %) patients with benign and malignant tumors of the parotid gland, respectively. The most common benign parotid tumor was Warthin’s tumor, followed by pleomorphic adenoma. The most common primary malignant tumor types were acinic cell carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Secondary malignant tumors of the parotid gland included lymphoma and metastatic, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusions The frequency of Warthin’s tumors was higher than that of pleomorphic adenomas. A large proportion of the malignant parotid tumors represent metastases from squamous cell carcinoma of the skin of the head and neck.

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Publication History

Article published online:
10 June 2020