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 Array After chemotherapy – discharge Salivary gland biopsy Salivary gland tumors Sialogram Swallowing problems Find an Expert American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 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 Support Services National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Parotid Neoplasms National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Salivary Gland Neoplasms National Institutes of Health Start Here General Information about Salivary Gland Cancer National Cancer Institute Salivary Gland Cancer American Society of Clinical Oncology What Is Salivary Gland Cancer? American Cancer Society Diagnosis and Tests How Is Salivary Gland Cancer Diagnosed? American Cancer Society Stages of Salivary Gland Cancer National Cancer Institute Reference Desk Mouth and Throat National Cancer Institute Journal Articles Salivary Gland Cancer Treatments and Therapies Salivary Gland Cancer Treatment National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Salivary Gland Cancer) National Cancer Institute Treatment Options by Stage (Salivary Gland Cancer) National Cancer Institute Prevention and Risk Factors Salivary Gland Cancer: Risk Factors American Society of Clinical Oncology Patient Handouts Understanding Chemotherapy National Cancer Institute What to Know about External Beam Radiation Therapy National Cancer Institute Living With What Happens After Treatment for Salivary Gland Cancer? American Cancer Society Statistics and Research What’s New in Salivary Gland Cancer Research and Treatment? American Cancer Society
