ear, nose, and throat disorders
Salivary Gland Tumors
Introduction
Most salivary gland tumors are benign and occur in the parotid glands. A painless salivary mass is the most common sign and is evaluated by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Imaging with CT and MRI can be helpful. For malignant tumors, treatment is with excision and radiation. Long-term results are related to the grade of the cancer. (See also Overview of Head and Neck Tumors .) In general, the risk of malignancy is greater in smaller salivary glands than in larger salivary glands (eg, the parotid gland has a lower risk of malignancy than minor salivary glands). About 85% of salivary gland tumors occur in the parotid glands, followed by the submandibular and minor salivary glands, and about 1% occur in the sublingual glands. About 75 to 80% are benign, slow-growing, movable, painless, usually solitary nodules beneath normal skin or mucosa. Occasionally, when cystic, they are soft but most often they are firm. 