Salivary gland tumors
Salivary gland tumors are abnormal cells growing in the tubes (ducts) that drain the salivary glands or the gland itself.
Tumor - salivary duct
The salivary glands are located around the mouth. They produce saliva, which moistens food to help with chewing and swallowing.
There are three main pairs of salivary glands. The parotid glands are the largest. They are located in each cheek above the jaw in front of the ears. Two submandibular glands are at the back of the mouth. They are on both sides of the jaw. Two sublingual glands are under the floor of the mouth. There are also thousands of small salivary glands around the rest of the mouth.
Salivary glands empty saliva into the mouth through ducts that open at various places in the mouth.
Salivary gland tumors are rare, especially in children. Swelling of the salivary glands is mostly due to:
- Abdominal surgery
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Other cancers
- Salivary duct stones
- Salivary gland infections
- Sjogren syndrome
The most common type of salivary gland tumor is a slow-growing noncancerous (benign) tumor of the parotid gland. The tumor gradually increases the size of the gland. Some of these tumors can be cancerous (malignant).
- Firm, usually painless swelling in one of the salivary glands (in front of the ears, under the chin, or on the floor of the mouth); size of the swelling gradually increases.
- Difficulty moving one side of the face, known as facial nerve palsy
Exams and Tests
An examination by a health care provider or dentist shows a larger than normal salivary gland, usually one of the parotid glands.
Tests may include:
- X-rays of the salivary gland (called a ptyalogram or sialogram) to look for a tumor
- Ultrasound, CT scan or MRI to confirm that there is a growth, and to see if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the neck
- Salivary gland biopsy or fine needle aspiration to determine whether the tumor is benign or malignant
Surgery is usually done to remove the affected salivary gland. If the tumor is benign, no other treatment is needed.
Most salivary gland tumors are noncancerous and slow growing. Removing the tumor with surgery usually cures the condition. In rare cases, the tumor is cancerous and further treatment is needed.
- Cancerous tumors may cause further complications, including spread to other organs (metastasis).
- In rare cases, surgery to remove the tumor can injure the nerve that controls movement of the face.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if:
- You have pain when eating or chewing
- You notice a lump in the mouth, under the jaw, or in the neck that does not go away in 2 to 3 weeks or is getting larger
Calzada GG, Hanna EY. Benign neoplasms of the salivary glands. In: Flint PW, Haughey BH, Lund VJ, et al., eds. Cummings Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Mosby; 2010:chap 87.
National Cancer Institute: PDQ Salivary Gland Cancer Treatment. Bethesda, Md: National Cancer Institute. Date last modified: July 20, 2012. Available at: http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/salivarygland/HealthProfessional. Accessed: February 3, 2014.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines): Head and neck cancers. Version 2.2013. Available at: http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/head-and-neck.pdf. Accessed: February 3, 2014.
Last reviewed 2/3/2014 by Ashutosh Kacker, MD, FACS, Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology, Weill Cornell Medical College, and Attending Otolaryngologist, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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