The role of parotidectomy in the treatment of auricular squamous cell carcinoma

Sameep Kadakia, Masoud Saman, Eli Gordin, Diego Marra, Yadranko Ducic

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective. We analyze parotid specimens in patients treated with prophylactic parotidectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the auricle greater than or equal to 2 cm to determine rates of metastasis and the efficacy of elective resection. Study Design. Case series with chart review. Setting. Cancer treatment center in Fort Worth, Texas, from 1998 to 2013. Subjects and Methods. The study included 104 patients between ages 36 and 97 years with primary auricular squamous cell carcinoma greater than or equal to 2 cm, with no evidence of adenopathy or parotid involvement on imaging. Patients underwent local excision and ipsilateral parotidectomy. The primary cancer was analyzed for vascular involvement, perineural invasion, and cartilage involvement, while the parotid specimen was analyzed for cancer positivity. Results. Thirty-nine parotid (37.5%) samples were positive for carcinoma. Of these, 16 patients had primary auricular carcinomas with vascular involvement, 17 had perineural invasion, and 4 had cartilage involvement. Thirty-two of 77 affected men and 7 of 27 affected women had positive parotid specimen. Vascular involvement (P = .0006) and perineural invasion (P = .0027) of the primary lesion were significantly higher in patients with a positive parotid specimen. Cartilage involvement and sex were not statistically significant. Conclusions. Elective parotidectomy is beneficial in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the auricle at least 2 cm in size, especially in lesions having perineural invasion and vascular involvement. For patients with positive parotid specimens, we recommend postoperative external beam radiation therapy and close surveillance.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1048-1052
Number of pages5
JournalOtolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (United States)
Volume152
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 5 2015

Keywords

  • auricle
  • parotidectomy
  • squamous cell carcinoma

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Surgery
  • Otorhinolaryngology

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