Salivary gland tumors

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Head and neck glands

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Salivary gland tumors

Alternative Names:

Tumor - salivary duct

Symptoms:

A painless swelling in one of the salivary glands (in front of the ears, under the chin, or the floor of the mouth). The size of the swelling gradually increases.
Difficulty moving one side of the face, known as facial nerve palsy.

Signs and tests:

An examination by a health care provider or dentist shows a larger than normal salivary gland, usually one of the parotid glands.

X-rays of the salivary gland (called a ptyalogram or sialogram) may be done to look for a tumor. More often, however, CT scan or MRI is used to verify the presence of a mass and to see if cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the neck.

A salivary gland biopsy or fine needle aspiration may be performed to determine if the tumor is benign or malignant.

Review Date: 11/9/2004
Reviewed By: Marcia S. Brose, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Hematology/Oncology, The University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.