Metastases from the lung presenting as a parotid lump

Abstract

We report a case of a 59-year-old man who presented with a preauricular facial lump that was suspected to be a parotid malignancy based on fine needle aspiration. A chest radiograph and a computed tomogram showed a mass in the lungs and several metastases, and caused a diagnostic dilemma as to the origin of the parotid mass, which was later confirmed to be metastatic disease that had arisen from a carcinoma of unknown origin. Infraclavicular metastasis to the parotid is rare but should not be overlooked particularly in patients who present with coexisting conditions, or when cytological findings are atypical.

Keywords: Cytopathology; Metastasis; Parotid tumour.