Relevance of Intraparotid Metastases in Head and Neck Skin Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Parotid lymph node metastases are common in head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCCHN). Here we evaluate the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications of intraglandular lymph node (IGLN) metastases in cSCCHN. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study in a tertiary referral university cancer institute. METHODS: We included patients with cSCCHN who underwent parotidectomy and neck dissection (ND), with or without synchronous resection of the skin primary, between January 1999 and January 2018. The characteristics of cSCCHN with or without IGLN involvement were compared. RESULTS: Altogether, 68 patients were included. Of the 29 (42.6%) patients classified as cN0, eight were upstaged pN+ and had concomitant IGLN involvement. Of 21 patients with pN0 disease, IGLN metastases were absent in only three cases, resulting in a specificity and sensitivity of parotid metastases to diagnose occult nodal neck metastases of 14.29% and 100%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 14.29% and 100%, respectively. Univariate analyses only displayed a significantly higher rate of moderately and poorly differentiated primaries in patients with IGLN metastases (P = .015). Only advanced T-stages were significantly associated with neck recurrences. CONCLUSION: IGLN status in advanced cSCCHN is potentially predictive for occul nodal neck metastases. Our results suggest that ND in patients with histopathologically negative IGLNs and clinically negative neck lymph nodes may not be necessary given the high negative predictive value of IGLN status in this group of patients. Therefore, accurate diagnostic evaluation of IGLN involvement is mandatory. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:788-793, 2021.

Warthin's tumor of the larynx: a very rare case and systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Warthin's tumor or cystadenolymphoma (CAL) is a benign salivary gland tumor occurring almost exclusively in the parotid gland. CALs of other locations are rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a laryngeal CAL detected in a positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) performed for breast cancer follow-up. The tumor was successfully treated by transoral surgery. DISCUSSION: Only 14 cases of laryngeal CAL are reported worldwide. These cases confirmed our experience of an uncomplicated and mostly successful transoral resection. CONCLUSION: CALs of the larynx are very rare. They are characterized by hypermetabolism in PET/CT. The increasing use of PET/CT investigations in cancer patients could give rise to more incidental findings of CALs at unusual locations such as the larynx.

Implications of intraglandular lymph node metastases in primary carcinomas of the parotid gland.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Assess the diagnostic and prognostic relevance of intraglandular lymph node (IGLN) metastases in primary parotid gland carcinomas (PGCs). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study at a tertiary referral university hospital. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 95 patients with primary PGCs, treated at least surgically, between 1997 and 2010. We assessed the clinicopathological associations of IGLN metastases, their prognostic significance, and predictive value in the diagnosis of occult neck lymph node metastases RESULTS: Twenty-four (25.26%) patients had IGLN metastases. This feature was significantly more prevalent in patients with advanced pT status (P = .01), pN status (P < .01), and overall stage (P < .001); high-risk carcinomas (P = .01); as well as in patients with treatment failures (P < .01). IGLN involvement was significantly associated with decreased univariate disease-free survival (P < .001). Positive and negative predictive values and accuracy for IGLN involvement in the detection of occult neck lymph node metastases were 63.64%, 90.48%, and 84.91%, respectively. The diagnostic values were generally higher in patients with low-risk subtype of PGCs. CONCLUSIONS: IGLN involvement provides prognostic information and is associated with advanced tumoral stage and higher risk of recurrence. This feature could be used as a potential readout to determine whether a neck dissection in clinically negative neck lymph nodes is needed or not. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.