Author(s)

Ithzel Maria Villarreal¹, Beatriz Arellano¹, Jeanette Sáenz¹, Luz Martin², José Ramón Castello³, José Ramón García-Berrocal^1*

¹Department of ENT, “Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda” University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
²Department of Pathology, “Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda” University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
³Department of Plastic Surgery, “Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda” University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to establish a correct approach to the diagnosis of a primary malignant melanoma of the parotid gland. Methods: We present a case of a patient with a painless mass situated in the left parotid region after an initial cytological and radiological study suggesting a Warthin tumor whose treatment involved a total parotidectomy with a facial nerve reconstruction. Results: The histopathological result showed a malignant melanoma that after various studies and evaluations showed no other primary origin different from the parotid gland itself. Conclusions: Salivary gland melanomas are relatively rare entities that when being of a primary origin and localized in the parotid gland become even more uncommon. Upon a melanoma found in the parotid gland, the first suspicion should be a metastatic origin, being the most common sites the oral cavity and the skin from the head and neck region.

Primary Parotid Melanoma, PET-Scan, S100 Protein, Facial Nerve Reconstruction

Villarreal, I. , Arellano, B. , Sáenz, J. , Martin, L. , Castello, J. and García-Berrocal, J. (2014) Primary Malignant Parotid Melanoma: Searching for a Rare Entity. International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, 3, 228-232. doi: 10.4236/ijohns.2014.35042.