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About the salivary glands

Salivary glands make saliva – the lubricating fluid found in the mouth and throat. Saliva contains enzymes that begin the process of digesting food. It also contains antibodies and other substances that help prevent infections of the mouth and throat.

The 2 main types of salivary glands are the major salivary glands and minor salivary glands.

There are 3 sets of major salivary glands on each side of the face:

• The parotid glands, the largest salivary glands, are just in front of the ears. About 7 out of 10 salivary gland tumors start here. Most of these tumors are benign (not cancer), but the parotid glands still are where most malignant (cancerous) salivary gland tumors start.
• The submandibular glands are smaller and are below the jaw. They secrete saliva under the tongue. About 1 or 2 out of 10 tumors start in these glands, and about half of these tumors are cancer.
• The sublingual glands, which are the smallest, are under the floor of the mouth and below either side of the tongue. Tumors starting in these glands are rare.

There are also several hundred minor salivary glands that are too small to see without a microscope. These glands are beneath the lining of the lips, tongue, in the roof of the mouth, and inside the cheeks, nose, sinuses, and larynx (voice box). Tumors in these glands are uncommon, but they are more often cancerous than benign. Cancers of the minor salivary glands most often start in the roof of the mouth.

Benign salivary gland tumors

Most salivary gland tumors are benign – that is, they are not cancer and will not spread to other parts of the body. These tumors are almost never life threatening.

There are many types of benign salivary gland tumors, with names such as adenomas, oncocytomas, Warthin tumors, and benign mixed tumors (also known as pleomorphic adenomas).

Benign tumors are almost always cured by surgery. Very rarely, they may become cancer if left untreated for a long time or if they are not completely removed and grow back. It’s not clear exactly how benign tumors become cancers.

Only salivary gland cancers will be discussed further in this document.

Salivary gland cancers (malignant salivary gland tumors)

There are many types of salivary gland cancers. Normal salivary glands are made up of several different types of cells, and tumors can start in any of these cell types. Salivary gland cancers are named according to which of these cell types they most look like when seen under a microscope. The main types of cancers are described below.

Doctors usually give salivary cancers a grade (from 1 to 3, or from low to high), based on how abnormal …