Ultrasound-guided bleomycin sclerotherapy for Warthin’s tumor: preliminary results of a prospective study

Abstract

Background: Warthin′s tumor (WT) is the second most common parotid gland neoplasm with rising incidence. As some WT patients are not suitable for surgery, non-surgical treatment options are needed. This is the first study to evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound-guided bleomycin sclerotherapy (UGBS) for WT. Patients and methods: WT patients with concordant clinical, imaging, and cytology data were included. UGBS was proposed for patients who desired non-surgical intervention and fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Tumor volume and tumor-related symptoms were registered before UGBS and six months after. Results: Nine patients underwent UGBS between September 2021 and September 2022. In seven of the nine patients (78%), the tumor volume had diminished on average by 34% at six-month follow-up. Also, tumor-related pain, and cosmetic and functional discomfort decreased during the follow-up. One patient was later referred to partial parotidectomy. Conclusion: UGBS could be an alternative non-surgical treatment for WT, especially for patients with risk factors for surgery.