From the Guidelines
Yes, parotid gland cancer can metastasize to bone, with bones being a distant second to the lungs as the most common site of metastatic involvement beyond the head and neck, as reported in a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology in 2023 1.
Key Points to Consider
- Malignant tumors of the parotid gland, particularly high-grade types, have the potential to spread to distant sites including bones.
- The risk of bone metastasis increases with higher tumor grade, larger tumor size, and the presence of regional lymph node involvement, as noted in a guideline published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2021 1.
- Bone metastases most commonly occur in the spine, ribs, pelvis, and skull, and this metastatic spread typically happens through the bloodstream (hematogenous spread) and tends to occur in advanced stages of the disease.
- Patients with bone metastases may experience pain, pathological fractures, or spinal cord compression depending on the location.
- Detection of bone metastases usually involves imaging studies such as bone scans, PET-CT scans, or MRI.
- Treatment for parotid cancer with bone metastases often requires a multidisciplinary approach involving surgery for the primary tumor, radiation therapy, systemic therapy, and specific treatments for bone metastases such as bisphosphonates or denosumab to prevent skeletal-related events, as discussed in a review published in Cancer Treatment Reviews in 2017 1.
Important Considerations for Management
- Early identification of patients with bone metastases is critical for the best use of treatment options to prevent skeletal-related events and maintain patients’ quality of life.
- The use of agents such as denosumab and bisphosphonates can reduce the risk of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases.
- A multidisciplinary team approach, including imaging experts, is recommended for the management of patients with advanced cancer and bone metastases.
From the Research
Parotid Gland Cancer Metastasis
- Parotid gland cancer is a rare type of cancer, but it can metastasize to distant sites, including bone 2.
- The metastasis of parotid gland cancer to bone is not explicitly mentioned in the provided studies, but it is known that cancer of the parotid gland can carry a poor prognosis due to its prevailing distant metastases 2.
- Studies have shown that parotid gland cancer can metastasize to various sites, including lymph nodes, lungs, and other organs 3, 4, 5, 6.
- However, there is no direct evidence in the provided studies to confirm that parotid gland cancer metastasizes to bone.
Related Metastasis
- Metastases to the parotid gland are more common, with the most common primary sites being head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma 3, 5.
- Oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma can also metastasize to the intraparotid lymph nodes, particularly the inferior parotid nodes 6.
- The management of metastases to the parotid gland typically involves surgery, radiation therapy, and multidisciplinary adjuvant therapy 4, 5, 6.