A Clinical Study On The Parotid Gland Tumors

ABSTRACT

clinical study on 113 patients who were treated for parotid tumors at Chonnam National University Hospital over a period of 5 years from January 1996 to December 2000.The results were as follows ; The mean ages were 42.6 years old (12~73 years)for benign parotid tumor patients and 43.9 years old (2~74 years) for malignant patients.The ratio of male to female was 12 in malignant parotid tumors, but there was no difference in benign tumors.There was no difference in mean mass size and duration of illness between benign and malignant tumor patients. The combined usage of fine needle aspiration biopsy and computed tomogram was common as the diagnostic methods of parotid tumor. The parotid tumors were commonly located in the superficial lobe (69%). The ratio of benign and malignant tumors was 41. The most common benign tumor was pleomorphic adenoma (72%of benign tumor), followed by Warthin's tumor and monomorphic adenoma. The most common malignant tumor was mucoepidermoid carcinoma (45%of malignant tumor), followed by adenoid cystic carnoma, carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma, and adenocarcinoma. The most common operations were superficial parotidectomy (72%) for benign parotid tumor and total parotidectomy (45%) for malignant tumor. The most common postoperative complication was temporary facial nerve weakness (82%), followed by Frey's syndrome (14%) and permanent facial palsy (4%). Postoperative radiation therapy was done in 12 patients (60%)and the mean radiation dose was 5550 +/- 620 cGy.Of 113 cases, tumor recurrence developed in 12 cases (10%). These results suggest that the successful management of parotid gland tumors needs adequate surgical treatment on the basis of knowledge of parotid gland anatomy and preoperative diagnosis.