[Lymphatic metastases in the parotid region from malignant skin neoplasm of the head: considerations for surgical treatment based on personal clinical experience]. FT Metastasi linfatiche della loggia parotidea da neoplasie maligne della testa: considerazioni sul trattamento chirurgico in base all'esperienza clinica personale.

The present paper considers some of the problems linked to the surgical treatment of parotid metastases. The authors base these considerations on their limited personal cases and on the most accredited literature. In the presence of cutaneous malignancies of the upper portion of the face, accurate clinical-radiological evaluation must be made of the parotid and neck region. Elective parotidectomy is performed when the cutaneous carcinoma is quite extensive or located in proximity of the gland or when the case involves a melanoma. Depending on the oncological margins, a sub-total parotidectomy may be enough; however, the facial nerve must be sacrificed if there is a clinical deficit or if it is directly affected by the tumor. As the dimensions of the neoplasm increase, the feasibility of saving the nerve decreases. Prophylactic treatment of the neck is advisable in parotid metastases from cutaneous malignancies, particularly melanoma. Nevertheless, it is possible to perform a selective dissection, avoiding the V level of the neck as the incidence of its involvement is quite low. Prognosis for these tumors is extremely poor. Of the eleven patients surgically treated, only 4 (36%) survived: 2 passed away from other causes not involved in the base pathology; 2 for distant metastases but with no signs of local recurrence and 1 other for recurrence of the primary pathology in the maxillary sinus mucosa. There is no difference in the survival of the two main histological groups: 2 out of 3 of the patients with melanoma (67%) died as did 3 out of 5 (60%) of those with epidermal carcinoma. This does not, obviously, include the two patients who died from other causes.