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Salivary Gland Cancer
Summary
Your salivary glands make saliva – sometimes called spit – and empty it into your mouth through openings called ducts. Saliva makes your food moist, which helps you chew and swallow. It helps you digest your food. It also cleans your mouth and contains antibodies that can kill germs.
Salivary gland cancer is a type of head and neck cancer. It is rare. It may not cause any symptoms, or you could notice:
- A lump in your ear, cheek, jaw, lip, or inside the mouth
- Fluid draining from your ear
- Trouble swallowing or opening the mouth widely
- Numbness, weakness, or pain in your face
Doctors diagnose salivary gland cancer using a physical exam, imaging tests, and a biopsy. Treatment can include surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
Specifics
- Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma American Society of Clinical Oncology
Patient Handouts
- After chemotherapy – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
- Salivary gland biopsy Medical Encyclopedia
- Salivary gland tumors Medical Encyclopedia
- Sialogram Medical Encyclopedia
- Swallowing problems Medical Encyclopedia
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society American Cancer Society
- Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology
- Find an ENT American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
- National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
- Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services National Cancer Institute
Children
- Childhood Salivary Gland Tumors Treatment National Cancer Institute
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Salivary Gland Neoplasms National Institutes of Health
Start Here
- General Information about Salivary Gland Cancer National Cancer Institute
- Saliva & Salivary Gland Disorders National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
- Salivary Gland Cancer American Society of Clinical Oncology
Living With
- Living as a Salivary Gland Cancer Survivor American Cancer Society
Journal Articles
Diagnosis and Tests
- Salivary Gland Cancer Tests American Cancer Society
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Salivary Gland Cancer: Risk Factors American Society of Clinical Oncology
Treatments and Therapies
- Treatment Option Overview (Salivary Gland Cancer) National Cancer Institute
Statistics and Research
- What’s New in Salivary Gland Cancer Research? American Cancer Society