Cancer Metastatic to the Parotid Gland

Carcinoma metastatic to the parotid gland is a region-specific disorder where the relative incidence of the various histopathological types is dependent on geographical location. Although metastatic cancer to the parotid is relatively infrequent worldwide, in 40% of patients with this disease it will be the first manifestation of skin cancer of the head and neck, mainly squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. This chapter discusses the pathology of cancer metastatic to the parotid gland, pathophysiology, clinical assessment, investigation (work-up), diagnosis, staging, treatment (surgical—ablative and reconstructive—and adjuvant radiotherapy and chemo-immunotherapy, as well as prognosis.