Letter to the editorSpinal metastasis from a primary parotid carcinoma: a case report
Introduction
Spinal metastasis originating from various organs is documented in literature but there are few reports of malignant salivary gland tumours causing secondary deposits in the spine. We report a rare case of spinal metastasis from a carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma. Salivary gland neoplasms and the clinical presentation of parotid tumours in particular are described. The treatment options and indications for surgical intervention are reviewed.
Section snippets
Case presentation
A 65-year-old man presented with low back pain radiating down the left leg for a duration of 6 months. He related the pain to a twisting injury, which he had while playing golf. The pain got worse over a six-month period, but he was able to get along with most of his daily routine activity with the help of analgesics. He also noticed that he had lost about 5 kg in three months.
Seven years previous to this presentation he had undergone a superficial parotidectomy for pleomorphic adenoma in the
Discussion
50–85% of cancer patients ultimately develop skeletal metastasis, most commonly to the spine [1], [2]. Skeletal metastasis is seen in 60% of cancer patients at autopsy [3], but this may be an underestimate since detailed dissection of each vertebra is seldom practical, unless this is being specifically sought for. The main sources of vertebral metastasis are tumours of the breast, prostate, lungs, kidney and thyroid. The presence of a valveless venous system [4], [5] and the high content of
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