Parotid lymph node transition in skin malignant tumors.

Metastasis to the parotid lymph nodes from skin malignant tumor is uncommon, but when this does arise, it creates management problems for the surgeon. During past 7 years, we have experienced 6 patients who were performed superficial or total parotidectomy with radical neck dissection in parotid metastasis. Of the six patients, 4 had squamous cell carcinoma and 2 malignant melanomas. Primary lesions that metastasized to the parotid lymph nodes located in preauricle (2 patients), frontal (2) and temporal skin (2). In all of these patients, metastases to both parotid lymph node and cervical nodes was involved. The over-all five year determinate rate was 40% in six patients.From our findings, the patient with metastasis in the parotid and/or neck should be performed wide primary resection and superficial or total parotidectomy with in continuity radical neck dissection. Total parotidectomy indicates when metastasis to the deep parotid lymph node is confirmed by histological examination of a frozen section.