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Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of Parotid Gland Originating from the Ampulla of Vater: Case Report and Review of the Literature

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Abstract

Aim

To report a rare case of metastasis from an adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater to the parotid gland.

Patients and Methods

In February 2004, a 61-year-old male underwent Whipple surgery due to a grade II adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater (stage IB:pT2N0M0). Post surgery, the patient did not receive any adjuvant treatment, but was followed up regularly. Two years post surgery, an abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed metastatic hepatic lesions. The patient subsequently underwent three lines of chemotherapy without significant response. Two months after chemotherapy (April 2007), the patient complained of a painless lump in the parotid region that was progressing fast. Not long after presentation, the mass caused severe local pain that was hardly managed with opioid analgesics. A head and neck CT depicted a 5 × 4 × 3 cm solid mass that was infiltrating the masseter and pterygoid muscles, the mandible, and parotid gland. Fine needle aspiration showed that the infiltrating mass was due to an adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. The patient subsequently received palliative radiotherapy (50.4 Gy), achieving a considerable therapeutic response.

Conclusions

Metastasis of adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater to the parotid gland has not to our knowledge been previously reported. Radiotherapy offers an excellent means of palliation with minimal morbidity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Patras Medical School, 265 00, Patras, Greece

    Despina Spyropoulou, Vassilios Vassiliou & Dimitrios Kardamakis

  2. Department of Pathology, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece

    Vassiliki Tzelepi & Athanassios C. Tsamandas

  3. Department of Cytopathology, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece

    Maria Kardari

Authors
  1. Despina Spyropoulou
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  2. Vassilios Vassiliou
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  3. Vassiliki Tzelepi
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  4. Maria Kardari
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  5. Athanassios C. Tsamandas
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  6. Dimitrios Kardamakis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vassilios Vassiliou.

Additional information

Spyropoulou D. and Vassiliou V. collected the patient data and wrote the manuscript; Tzelepi V., Kardari M., and Tsamandas A. carried out the histopathological and cytological examinations; Kardamakis D. supervised the preparation of this paper.

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Spyropoulou, D., Vassiliou, V., Tzelepi, V. et al. Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of Parotid Gland Originating from the Ampulla of Vater: Case Report and Review of the Literature. J Gastrointest Canc 38, 95–98 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-008-9038-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-008-9038-7

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