Diagnosis and treatment of malignant lymphomas of parotid gland

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to report surgical outcomes of primary parotid lymphomas and to discuss the histopathological subtypes, incidence rates, and clinical course.

Patients and methods: Between January 2002 and December 2014, eight patients (2 males, 6 females; man age 46.6 years; range 25 to 60 years) who were diagnosed with primary parotid lymphoma and underwent parotidectomy were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics of the patients, histopathological subtypes, disease stage, and survival rates were recorded.

Results: The ratio of the patients diagnosed with lymphoma was 2.82% among all patients, while 18.1% of the malignancies were lymphomas. Fine needle aspiration biopsy was non-diagnostic. CD20-positive low-grade B-cell lymphoma was the most common histopathological subtype in 37.5% of the patients.

Conclusion: Based on our study results, the fine needle aspiration biopsy is not helpful in the diagnosis of the lymphomas of the parotid gland. Although rarely seen, lymphomas of the parotid gland should be considered in the differential diagnosis.