The aim of the study is to define the utility of ultrasound (US) in differentiating benign from malignant parotid tumors as well as pleomorphic adenomas (PA) from monomorphic adenoma (MA). ...Seventy-two consecutive parotid gland tumors were analysed with high-resolution ultrasonography (12 MHz) with color Doppler imagining. The histopathological diagnosis was confirmed after parotidectomy for each lesion. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for the US were established. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine the predictive values of echogenicity, heterogeneity, and vascularity on color Doppler. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for each parameter considered. The analysed material included 27 MA, 26 PA, 1 basal cell adenoma, 8 inflammatory conditions, and 10 malignant neoplasms. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of US in differentiation of malignant from benign lesions in the parotid gland were 60, 95.2, and 90.3%, respectively. The predictive values were: PPV 66.8% and NPV 93.6%. Differentiating diagnoses between PA and MA with US resulted in a sensitivity of 61.5%, specificity of 81.5%, and accuracy of 73.1%. The predictive values were: PPV 50% and NPV 68.8%, respectively. For distinguishing malignant from benign tumors, the highest AUC values noted were for heterogeneity and vascularization (0.8 and 0.743, respectively). The AUC values were the highest for hypoechogenicity and vascularization in separating PA from MA (0.718 and 0.685, respectively).
Background
This study aimed to analyze the prognostic determinants for re‐recurrence and malignant transformation of parotid recurrent pleomorphic adenoma (RPA).
Methods
Between January 2011 and ...December 2020, all the cases of RPA of the parotid gland at our single institution were reviewed.
Results
A total of 168 patients were included in this study, with a median age of 41.5 years, and 20 (11.9%) patients developed re‐recurrence during follow‐up. It has been evidenced that recurrence times (single or multiple) was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence‐free survival (p = 0.0264). A total of 26 (15.48%) patients experienced malignant transformation of parotid RPA, and older age (>45 year old), male sex, and higher clinical tumor staging (T3–T4) were significantly associated with malignant transformation of parotid RPA.
Conclusions
Recurrence times was an independent prognostic factor for re‐recurrence of parotid RPA, and older male with high T‐stage may more easily develop malignant transformation.
The standard of care for head and neck cancer typically includes surgical resection of the tumor followed by targeted head and neck radiation. However depending on tumor location and stage, some ...cases may not require surgical resection while others may be treated with chemoradiation. Unfortunately, these radiation treatments cause chronic negative side effects for patients. These side effects are associated with damage to surrounding normal salivary gland tissue and include xerostomia, changes in taste and malnutrition. The underlying mechanisms of chronic radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction are unknown, however, in rodent models persistently elevated proliferation is correlated with reduced stimulated salivary flow. The rapalogue, CCI-779, has been used in other cell systems to induce autophagy and reduce proliferation, therefore the aim of this study was to determine if CCI-779 could be utilized to ameliorate chronic radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction. Four to six week old Atg5f/f; Aqp5-Cre, Atg5+/+; Aqp5-Cre and FVB mice were treated with targeted head and neck radiation. FVB mice were treated with CCI-779, chloroquine, or DMSO post-radiation. Stimulated salivary flow rates were determined and parotid and submandibular salivary gland tissues were collected for analyses. Mice with a defect in autophagy, via a conditional knockout of Atg5 in the salivary glands, display increased compensatory proliferation in the acinar cell compartment and hypertrophy at 24-72 hours following radiation. FVB mice treated with post-therapy CCI-779 have significant improvements in salivary gland physiology as determined by stimulated salivary flow rates, proliferation indices and amylase production and secretion. Consequently, post-radiation use of CCI-779 allows for improvement of salivary gland function and reestablishment of glandular homeostasis. As CCI-779 is already FDA approved for other uses, it could have a secondary use to alleviate the chronic side effects in head and neck cancer patients who have completed anti-tumor therapy.
Salivary gland tumors are predominantly benign and frequently localized in the parotid gland (P). The treatment consists primarily of surgical removal; however, the appropriate extent remains a ...subject of debate. In suitable tumors, superficial parotidectomy (SP) may be substituted for less invasive partial superficial parotidectomy (PSP) (I C). This systematic review analyzed the available literature, comparing PSP and SP with regards to several postoperative outcome parameters (O).
Established medical databanks were screened for articles evaluating outcomes of PSP compared with SP, published between 1955 and 2019. These data were assessed by pooled risk and odds ratios via meta-analysis.
11 studies with 1272 patients were included. There was no significant difference in tumor recurrence between PSP and SP (primary outcome). Furthermore, no differences in the occurrence of permanent facial nerve paralysis (FNP), salivary fistula, great auricular nerve analgesia, or hematoma were observed between the groups. However, PSP displayed significantly reduced rates of transient FNP, Frey's syndrome, scar deformity, and xerostomia, as well as shorter surgical time, compared with SP (secondary outcomes).
Based on these data, PSP can be recommended as a surgical technique for the treatment of superficially located, small, benign parotid tumors.
-PSP as recommended treatment for suitable benign parotid tumors-Shorter surgical time-Lower prevalence of transient FNP, Frey's syndrome, scar deformity, xerostomia-No difference in recurrence rate
During the preoperative evaluation of parotid gland tumors, one of the main concerns is to determine the location of the tumors in relation to the facial nerve. This study aims to assess the value of ...ultrasound for determining the location of parotid gland tumors in relation to the facial nerve using Stensen's duct.
This is a retrospective cross-sectional study at a single institute. The subjects who underwent preoperative ultrasound and parotidectomy for parotid gland tumors were included. The subjects with incomplete operative records or no reference standard for the location of parotid gland tumor were excluded. The primary predictor was ultrasound tumor location, which was defined as the location of parotid gland tumors determined by preoperative ultrasound as to whether the tumors were superficial or deep to the facial nerve. The operative records were used as the reference standard for the location of parotid gland tumors. The primary outcome was diagnostic performances of preoperative ultrasound in predicting the location of parotid gland tumors, which were calculated by comparing ultrasound tumor location to the reference standard. Covariates were sex, age, type of surgery, tumor size, and tumor histology. Data analysis involved descriptive and analytic statistics; P < .05 was considered statistically significant.
One hundred and two of 140 eligible subjects met inclusion and exclusion criteria. There were 50 male and 52 female, with a mean age of 53.3 years. Ultrasound tumor location was classified as deep in 29 subjects, superficial in 50, and indeterminate in 23. The reference standard was deep in 32 subjects and superficial in 70. Indeterminate ultrasound tumor location results were grouped as either deep or superficial to make every possible cross table in which ultrasound tumor location results were presented as a dichotomy. The mean sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the ultrasound to predict the deep location of parotid tumors were 87.5, 82.1, 70.2, 93.6, and 83.8%, respectively.
Stensen's duct on ultrasound can be a useful criterion to determine the location of parotid gland tumor relative to the facial nerve.
Parotid gland agenesis is a rare, congenital, usually asymptomatic disorder. Until now, only 24 cases with unilateral, incidentally found, parotid gland agenesis have been described. Here, we present ...the first reported case of an ipsilateral preauricular neoplasm in a patient with unilateral parotid gland agenesis. During surgery, the position of the greater auricular- and facial nerves was documented. Furthermore, we performed the first sialendoscopy for this rare disorder to assess the number of duct branches, which might be indicative of the abundance of parotid tissue. Moreover, we looked for sialendoscopic characteristic features that could aid in identifying these patients in the ambulatory setting.
A 50-year-old Greek man presented with a painless, slowly enlarging mass in the right parotid space. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a complete absence of the right parotid gland without accessory parotid tissue. The right parotid gland was replaced by fatty tissue and the radiologist suggested a benign parotid tumor. Fine needle aspiration was indicative of a reactive lymph node. Sialendoscopy revealed only two branches within the right parotid duct. Surgical resection was performed through a conventional lateral parotidectomy. This revealed typical anatomic position of the greater auricular- and facial nerves despite the parotid tissue agenesis. Histopathology revealed a small lymphocytic lymphoma.
Surgeons should feel confident to resect tumors of the parotid space in patients with parotid gland agenesis. Reduced branching observed during sialendoscopy might indicate parotid gland agenesis. Physicians should be even more cautious than usual with the watch and wait strategy in patients with tumors of parotid gland agenesis, since the probability of a tumor being a benign salivary gland tumor might be lower than usual.
Objective/Hypothesis
The ideal extent of surgical intervention for benign parotid tumors remains a matter of controversy. The aim of the study was to trace the development of surgical therapy in a ...large cohort, explore its changes in a single institution specializing in salivary gland pathologies over the last 12 years, and determine the extent to which a possible shift in the surgical therapy of parotid benign tumors toward less radical methods was correlated with a change in the incidence of facial palsy and Frey's syndrome.
Study Design
Retrospective clinical study.
Methods
A retrospective evaluation of the records for all patients treated for benign parotid tumors between 2000 and 2012 at a tertiary referral center was carried out. Surgical methods were classified into four groups: extracapsular dissection, partial superficial parotidectomy, superficial parotidectomy, and complete parotidectomy.
Results
A total of 1,624 patients were included in the study. Our analysis demonstrated an increase in the total number of parotidectomies for benign lesions from 71 (2000) to 184 (2012), mostly due to the increase in extracapsular dissections (from 9 to 123). Increased performance of less radical surgery was associated with a significantly decreased incidence of temporary and permanent facial palsies (from 22.8% to 9% and 9.8% to 5.9%, respectively) and Frey's syndrome (from 11.3% to 1.6%).
Conclusions
One of the most controversial issues in the treatment of benign parotid tumors is the best therapeutic approach to be taken in such patients. Our study showed that increased performance of less radical surgery was associated with better functional outcomes.
Level of Evidence
2b. Laryngoscope, 125:122–127, 2015
The aim of this study was to assess the histopathological changes in parotid gland tissue of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients treated with abatacept.
In all 15 pSS patients included in the ...open-label Active Sjögren Abatacept Pilot (ASAP, 8 abatacept infusions) study parotid gland biopsies were taken before treatment and at 24 weeks of follow up. Biopsies were analysed for pSS-related histopathological features and placed in context of clini- cal responsiveness as assessed with EULAR Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI).
Abatacept treatment resulted in a decrease of germinal centres (GCs)/ mm2 (p=0.173). Number of GCs/mm2 at baseline was associated with response in the glandular domain of ESSDAI (Spearman ρ=0.644, p=0.009). Abatacept treatment did not reduce focus score, lymphoepithelial lesions, area of lymphocytic infiltrate, amount of CD21+ networks of follicular dendritic cells, and numbers of CD3+ T-cells or CD20+ B- cells. Number of IgM plasma cells/mm2 increased (p=0.041), while numbers of IgA and IgG plasma cells/mm2 were unaffected during abatacept treatment.
Abatacept affects formation of GCs of pSS patients in parotid glands, which is dependent on co-stimulation of activated follicular-helper-T-cells. Herewith, local formation of (autoreactive) memory B-cells is inhibited. Presence of GCs at baseline predicts responsiveness to abatacept in the ESSDAI glandular domain.
Parotid lumps are a heterogeneous group of mainly benign but also malignant tumors. Preoperative imaging does not allow a differentiation between tumor types. Multispectral optoacoustic tomography ...(MSOT) may improve the preoperative diagnostics. In this first prospective pilot trial the ability of MSOT to discriminate between the two most frequent benign parotid tumors, pleomorphic adenoma (PA) and Warthin tumor (WT) as well as to normal parotid tissue was explored. Six wavelengths (700, 730, 760, 800, 850, 900 nm) and the parameters deoxygenated (HbR), oxygenated (HbO
), total hemoglobin (HbT), and saturation of hemoglobin (sO
) were analyzed. Ten patients with PA and fourteen with WT were included (12/12 female/male; median age: 51 years). For PA, the mean values for all measured wave lengths as well as for the hemoglobin parameters were different for the tumors compared to the healthy parotid (all p < 0.05). The mean MSOT parameters were all significantly higher (all p < 0.05) in the WT compared to healthy parotid gland except for HbT and sO
. Comparing both tumors directly, the mean values of MSOT parameters were not different between PA and WT (all p > 0.05). Differences were seen for the maximal MSOT parameters. The maximal tumor values for 900 nm, HbR, HbT, and sO
were lower in PA than in WT (all p < 0.05). This preliminary MSOT parotid tumor imaging study showed clear differences for PA or WT compared to healthy parotid tissue. Some MSOT characteristics of PA and WT were different but needed to be explored in larger studies.
BACKGROUND A mass in the parotid gland usually indicates parotid gland neoplasia. Warthin tumors or pleomorphic adenomas are common differential diagnoses. Less frequently, other differential ...diagnoses and sites of origin are considered. Schwannomas are rare, benign tumors in the head and neck region. Even more rarely, these tumors occur in the intraparotid course of the facial nerve. In the following, we report about 2 patients in whom a mass in the right parotid gland was found incidentally during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). CASE REPORT We reviewed data from the literature on intraparotid facial nerve schwannomas (IPFNS) and compared them with those from our cases. The focus was on data such as clinical history, clinical symptoms, electroneurography, and various imaging modalities, such as ultrasonography and MRI combined with diffusion-weighted imaging. CONCLUSIONS It is challenging to distinguish facial nerve schwannomas from other neoplasms. Patient's history, clinical symptoms, MRI examination with diffusion-weighted imaging, and high-resolution ultrasound imaging are decisive factors for diagnosis and should be performed when IPFNS is suspected. Diagnosis and therapy for IPFNS remain challenging. A wait-and-scan approach could be an option for patients with small tumors and good facial nerve function. On the other hand, patients with advanced tumors associated with limited facial nerve function can benefit from surgical approaches or stereotactic radiosurgery.