Unremarkable parotid tumours that prove to be malignant.

Of 539 patients with clinically unremarkable lumps treated by formal parotidectomy, subsequent histological examination indicated that 20 of these lesions were malignant. After a follow-up of 1-18 years, only one patient has suffered a recurrent tumour and none has died from disease related causes. The results indicate that formal parotidectomy is an acceptable means of treating the small number of malignant tumours presenting in this way, and strengthen the argument that attempts to obtain a histological diagnosis before treatment are contraindicated.