[Lymphoepithelial cyst arising in the parotid gland; a report of 3 cases].

Abstract

Lymphoepithelial cysts occur mainly in the lateral cervical region, but rarely in the parotid gland. We report three cases of lymphoepithelial cysts arising in the parotid gland. These patients presented with a mass in the pre-auricular or infra-auricular region. All masses were mobile and non-tender. The lesions were removed by superficial partial parotidectomy. A definite diagnosis could not be made at initial evaluation, including clinical findings, ultrasound sonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, nor radioisotope scintigraphy. Final diagnoses were made by histopathologic evaluation of the excised specimen. In these three cases, histopathologic examination of the mass showed a cystic lesion to be lined by stratified squamous or cuboidal epithelium that was surrounded by a lymphoid tissue with lymphoid follicles, leading to a histopathological diagnosis of lymphoepithelial cyst. The postoperative course was uneventful, and there has been no evidence of recurrence in any of the three cases reported. A review of 52 cases of lymphoepithelial cyst arising in the parotid gland reported in Japanese literature was also made together with the three cases of lymphoepithelial cyst arising in the parotid gland reported here. The results of this review were considered clinical presentation and histopathogenesis of the three cases of lymphoepithelial cyst arising in the parotid gland reported here.