Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the parotid gland presenting 19 years after nephrectomy: case report and review of literature.

OBJECTIVE

To present a case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the parotid gland occurring 19 years after nephrectomy with review of literature.

STUDY

DESIGN

Case report and literature review.

METHODS

Literature review of cases of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the parotid gland and discussion of a recent representative case within our tertiary care health system.

RESULTS

We present a case of an 82 year old male who presented with a 18 month history of progressive right parotid enlargement. His past medical history is notable for renal cell carcinoma status post partial nephrectomy in 1990, followed by completion nephrectomy 15 years later. He also has a history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which has not been treated. He complained of some pain symptoms, but no signs of facial paralysis. Fine needle aspiration was non-diagnostic. The patient underwent a total parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation, and final pathology was consistent with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, clear cell type. Based on our literature review we believe this to be the longest disease free interval of renal cell carcinoma preceding a metastatic lesion to the parotid gland.