Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck metastasizing to the parotid gland--a review of current recommendations. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck may metastasize in up to 5% of patients, with the parotid lymph nodes the most frequent site for spread. Metastases frequently show delayed presentation after the primary cancer had been treated. The optimum treatment should be surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy, with an appropriate parotidectomy, and preservation of the facial nerve if not involved by tumor and treatment to the neck. In a clinically N0 neck, levels I to III should be cleared for facial primaries, levels II to III for anterior scalp and external ear primaries, and levels II to V for posterior scalp primaries. Approximate 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) after treatment was 70% to 75%. Patients with immunosuppression, in particular transplant recipients, are at high risk of developing aggressive metastatic cutaneous SCC. Modifications of the staging systems have demonstrated the prognostic benefits of accurately staging parotid and/or neck nodal disease.

publication date

  • November 10, 2010

Research

keywords

  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms
  • Parotid Neoplasms
  • Skin Neoplasms

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 81255161315

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1002/hed.21583

PubMed ID

  • 22076982

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 33

issue

  • 12