Major salivary gland tumors constitute 3 to 6% of all tumors of the head and neck in adults, and about 85% of these salivary gland tumors are found in the parotid gland. Approximately 70% of parotid lesions are neoplastic, and roughly 16% of these neoplasms are malignant. The spectrum of histopathologic entities encompassed by the term parotid mass is exceedingly broad and continues to evolve as our understanding of the origin and clinical behavior of the various tumors arising from the parotid gland expands. This review discusses the anatomy, etiology, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup and imaging, surgical management, and overall prognosis for parotid masses.
This review contains 6 figures, 11 tables, and 84 references.
Key words: facial nerve, fine-needle aspiration, imaging, malignant neoplasm, neck dissection, parotid mass, parotidectomy, pleomorphic adenoma