Parotid cancer treatment with surgery followed by radiotherapy in Oxford over 15 years.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Primary parotid malignancies represent a rare diagnosis, making high-quality comparative research unfeasible. There is little U.K.-based evidence to guide practice. A review was therefore undertaken of a large series of patients treated by a multidisciplinary team in a National Health Service tertiary referral centre.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Retrospective patient record review at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford identified 401 patients who had undergone parotidectomy between 1995 and 2010, of whom 50 subjects were given a definitive diagnosis of primary parotid malignancy, treated with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Case notes, histology and imaging were reviewed by the study team.

RESULTS:

The median follow up for the cohort was 60 months (range: 1-108 months). Facial nerve function was preserved in all patients undergoing partial or total conservative parotidectomy. Although histology showed microscopically close or positive margins in 82% of cases, all patients underwent postoperative radiotherapy and locoregional recurrence was identified in only two (4%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

The data presented demonstrate a reasonable and practical multidisciplinary approach to a complex management problem. Facial nerve sparing surgery and postoperative radiotherapy result in good control of locoregional disease.

• Authors: Ketan Shah, Faisal Javed, Chris Alcock, Ketan A Shah, Pieter Pretorius, Chris A Milford
• Journal: Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (Ann R Coll Surg Engl) Vol. 93 Issue 3 Pg. 218-22 (Apr 2011) ISSN: 1478-7083 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21477434 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Biopsy, Fine-Needle
• Combined Modality Therapy (methods)
• Epidemiologic Methods
• Facial Paralysis (prevention & control)
• Female
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local (pathology)
• Neoplasm Staging
• Parotid Neoplasms (pathology, radiotherapy, surgery)
• Positron-Emission Tomography
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Treatment Outcome
• Young Adult