Role of parotidectomy for skin cancer of the head and neck.

Involvement of the parotid gland or periparotid nodes by direct extension from a skin cancer or metastasis from a present or previously treated skin cancer is an uncommon but potentially disastrous event. Aggressive surgery with sacrifice of necessary structures but preservation of the facial nerve and surrounding structures when feasible results in satisfactory local and regional control. The overall local or regional control rate was 70.9 percent. Isolated metastases to the parotid gland in patients with successfully treated nonbasal cell skin cancers are controlled locally or regionally in 84.2 percent of the 57 patients reviewed. The addition of radiotherapy should be considered in patients when warranted by the pathologic findings and clinical condition of the patient, however, it is not without complications.