[Squamous cell carcinoma in the area of the parotid gland. Metastasis or primary tumor?].

A total of 61 patients with a histological diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the parotid gland were studied. The patients were classified into three categories. There were 34 patients with a metastasis to the parotid gland from a squamous cell carcinoma elsewhere within the head and neck who presented on average 2.1 years (range 3 months to 7 years) after diagnosis of the primary tumour; in one case a salivary gland tumor presented 32 years after irradiation of a squamous cell carcinoma of the temple. Six patients had histological evidence of a metastasis within the parotid gland, but no evidence of a primary tumour. Twenty-one patients presented with a primary epidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland. Two patients showed a primary squamous cell carcinoma of the parotid arising in myoepithelial sialadenitis.