Malignant epithelial parotid tumours.

Formal parotidectomy was performed in 120 patients by one surgeon over 7 years. Eighteen patients were referred with malignant salivary tumours (eight recurrent). Low-grade tumours (LGT) were treated by surgery alone; untreated high-grade tumours (HGT) were treated by pre- or post-operative radiotherapy according to clinical findings. The aim of surgery was to obtain tumour clearance, to preserve the facial nerve where possible, and to perform radical neck dissection for HGT when peroperative jugulodigastric lymph node biopsy confirmed metastasis. Five patients (all HGT) with complete facial palsy due to tumour underwent radical parotidectomy; of the remainder, only one suffered further deterioration of facial nerve function after surgery. After 5 years median follow-up from presentation, four patients with HGT have died from metastases; one has developed local recurrence. No patient with LGT has died or developed local recurrence. The survival difference between patients with HGT and LGT is statistically significant (P less than 0.05). A logical management policy for malignant parotid tumours requires knowledge of tumour grade.