Giant Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Parotid Gland

Abstract

Pleomorphic adenomas account for the majority of parotid masses arising mostly in the superficial part of the gland and enlarging slowly over time. The vast majority are 2 to 6 cm in size when resected. We report resection of a huge mixed parotid tumor. A 40 year-old man had a 15-year history of an enlarging right periauricular mass that had developed areas of discoloration of the overlying skin due to underlying necrosis The patient ultimately underwent resection of the mass, which measured 24 cm in diameter, weighed 4.65 kg, and proved on pathologic examination to be a benign mixed tumor without malignant degeneration. The implications of this unusual case for the management of mixed tumors are discussed, and a review of the world literature on giant pleomorphic adenomas is presented.