Clinicopathological Characteristics and Outcomes of Primary Parotid Gland Carcinomas in the Czech Republic: a Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study of 453 Surgically Treated Patients

Abstract

Parotid gland carcinomas are rare malignancies with marked histological and biological heterogeneity. Most published evidence is derived from single-center or selected institutional series, whereas comprehensive nationwide epidemiological data remain limited. The aim of this study was to characterize the epidemiological and clinicopathological spectrum of surgically treated parotid gland carcinomas in the Czech Republic using a large multicenter cohort. This retrospective multicenter observational study included patients who underwent primary surgical treatment for malignant tumors of the parotid gland between January 2008 and December 2018 at 21 institutions across the Czech Republic. Data were collected using a predefined standardized electronic database and included demographic characteristics, histological subtype, tumor stage, surgical management, neck treatment, and adjuvant therapy. Disease-free survival (DFS) was evaluated as a secondary outcome using the Kaplan–Meier method. After exclusion of tumors with possible metastatic cutaneous origin, 453 patients were included in the final analysis. Acinic cell carcinoma was the most common histological subtype, followed by mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified. Early-stage disease (T1–T2) predominated overall, although advanced stages were more frequently observed in biologically aggressive histological subtypes. The extent of parotidectomy, neck management strategies, and use of adjuvant therapy varied substantially according to histology. DFS differed across histological subtypes and nodal stages. This nationwide multicenter study provides robust epidemiological and clinicopathological data on parotid gland carcinomas in the Czech Republic. The findings highlight substantial histological heterogeneity and variability in treatment approaches, underscoring the need for population-based reference data and supporting future development of prospective national registries.