A review of 20 malignant parotid tumors experienced at Department of Otolaryngology, Hokkaido University Hospital during 10 year period of 1976 through 1985 was performed retrospectively.
Thirty five percent of these cases was adenocarcinoma, while malignant mixed tumor 20 percent.
Nine out of these 20 cases had their initial treatment at our clinic, whereas the other 11 had previous surgical treatment and /or radiation therapy. Seven died of distant metastasis either in the lung or in the brain.
It seemed evident that facial nerve involvement was suggestive of their poor prognosis in view of the fact that facial nerve of these 7 patients had invariably affected at their first visit to our clinic.
