Parotid metastatic disease from cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: prognostic role of facial nerve sacrifice, lateral temporal bone resection, immune status and P-stage.

Background: Recognized prognostic indicators for metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck include facial nerve involvement, immune status, and "parotid" staging system (P-stage). We sought to examine the impact of lateral temporal bone resection (LTBR) on prognosis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 160 patients with metastatic cutaneous SCC to the parotid. All patients had parotidectomy and neck dissection; 27% had additional LTBR when the tumor was adherent to the temporal bone.

Results: Overall 5-year survival was 48%, disease-specific survival 77%, and locoregional control 83%. Corresponding results for immunocompetent versus immunocompromised were 55%, 86%, and 87% versus 12%, 48%, and 64%. On Cox regression analysis, only immunocompromised status (ie, lymphoproliferative disorder, organ-transplant patient) was prognostically significant (p < .001).

Conclusion: More radical resection that may include LTBR mitigates the poorer prognosis with advanced disease in our series. Treatment must be individualized in immunocompromised patients who have shortened overall survival.