Cutaneous metastasis from a parotid myoepithelial carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland is a rare salivary gland tumour, and its distant cutaneous metastasis has not been reported to date. Here, we report a case of myoepithelial carcinoma of the left parotid gland, which had metastasised to the skin of the right thorax after parotidectomy and radiotherapy. Diagnosis of the primary and metastatic tumour was based on the clinical findings and was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. A literature review of the clinical features of the skin metastases of parotid malignancies and their related pathological mechanisms is included in this case study. It was noted that myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland has the potential to develop distant skin metastasis, which may be indicative of widespread dissemination and poor prognosis. Attention should be paid to initial treatment of the primary tumour and to emerging cutaneous masses whose location is distant from the primary tumour during follow up.