Is it safe for an 80-year-old person to undergo surgery for a benign lump on the jaw?

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I have reviewed the reports (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity), and I suggest it be a benign cyst, mostly a branchial cyst. These cysts are formed due to remnants during the intraembryonic period, the branchial arches form various parts of the neck, and some epithelium left behind forms these cysts. Since it is just a cyst and not a sinus, and going by your father's age and previous PTCA (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty), I would suggest you consider palliative treatment, avoiding surgery. Since there is swelling in the vicinity of the parotid, there is a chance of facial nerve palsy, which at this age would be troublesome. It might lead to inadequate closure of eyes and mouth and deviation of the angle of the mouth. So it would be better to avoid surgery and leave the swelling as it is. If it is a branchial cyst as described by FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) report, surgery would be the only option. There is no medical management for this condition. However, the size of the swelling appears to be too large to be a branchial cyst. Was the swelling of a similar size since your father's childhood? Why was no attention given to it until the age of 80? Is there any history of discharge from the swelling? Kindly send me a copy of the ultrasound scan report so I can advise you appropriately. Thank you.

Hello,

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I have reviewed the reports (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity); going by the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) reports, the lesion is confined to the parotid itself, and the general appearance of the swelling is seen in the picture also. Eighty percent it appears to be a benign parotid gland tumor unless there is a rapid increase in the size, associated pain, and discharge. Considering your father's age, surgery is not suggested. Unfortunately, no diet can halt the growth of the swelling. The only way to prevent the cyst or mass from getting infected is following a restriction in diet, which can cause URTI (upper respiratory tract infections), and avoiding fruits such as citrus fruits, bananas, etc., but it would not help much. The rest 20 percent, which says branchial cyst, should have been congenital. The only thing is if it gets infected, then there would be a problem. My final opinion is more towards pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid, and considering your father's age, I would suggest conservative management. I hope this helps you. Thank you.