Multicentric recurrent parotid pleomorphic adenoma in a child

Mixed tumours of the parotid gland are rare in childhood and recurrence of this tumour is infrequent. Some authors report a higher rate of recurrence with some histological subtypes, like hypocellular variant. Female sex and young age at initial treatment are also risk factor for recurrence. Also the first surgical treatment, tumour enucleation or parotidectomy, has been implicated as a cause for recurrence. We present a case of a multicentric doubly recurrent parotid pleomorphic adenoma, 7 and 14 years after tumour enucleation, in a 9-year-old child. All the nodules resected showed the hypocellular variant of pleomorphic adenoma. We consider the relationships between the choice of treatment, the histologic subtypes of pleomorphic adenomas and multifocal tumours and recurrence. In this case, we believe the recurrence was related to surgical enucleation previously performed and the hypocellular histological subtype. We conclude that tumour enucleation is a risk factor for recurrence and total parotidectomy is the treatment of choice for pleomorphic parotid adenoma also in childhood.