Sebaceous Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland

Sebaceous glands are omnipresent dermal appendages, and ectopic or metaplastic sebaceous elements occur frequently in the head and neck, notably in approximately one fourth of parotid glands. Sebaceous carcinoma is rare, however, and only seven cases of this lesion in the parotid gland have been previously reported. An additional case is presented herein, and the salient clinical and morphologic features of all eight cases are tabulated. Although their behavior and histopathology varied widely, these tumors were generally slow-growing but potentially aggressive. A variety of etiologic factors have been proposed, but most, or perhaps all, of the lesions could be variants of or derived from mucoepidermoid tumors. Wide surgical excision has proved to be the only successful method of therapy.