Complex treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the parotid gland and secondary primary melanoma

Abstract

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the parotid gland accounts for 0.35% up to 9.8% of all parotid malignancies. In advanced stages, the gold standard is wide excision, lymphadenectomy and postoperative radiotherapy. Furthermore, head and neck cancers have an increased risk of secondary primary tumors development. Case report: A 82-year-old male underwent subtotal parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation for right parotid squamous cell carcinoma, in another department. Due to incomplete resection, 4 months later he presented with locoregional recurrence and cutaneous invasion. The patient underwent total parotidectomy en bloc with facial nerve, part of the external auditory meatus, posterior belly of digastric and part of sternocleidomastoid muscle with modified radical neck dissection, levels I-V. The defect was closed with ipsilateral pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, followed by a temporary lateral tarsorrhaphy after two months. The patient underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. One year after surgery, functional and aesthetic impairment of the facial nerve palsy were corrected: the lower face deficit by an orthodromic temporalis tendon transfer; lagophthalmos by lid loading with gold-weight. Postoperative outcome was satisfactory for the patient, with 3 years of postoperative evolution with no recurrence or metastasis. Concomitantly, the patient developed pT1a secondary primary melanoma on the skin island of the flap, which was excised. Conclusion: Patients with locoregional advanced parotid squamous cell carcinoma can benefit from wide excision with neck dissection and postoperative radiotherapy. When the facial nerve cannot be preserved, facial asymmetry can be improved through reanimation procedures. Secondary primary malignancies require proper treatment concomitantly with index tumor follow-up.