You may be reading this because you or someone you care about has learned they have salivary gland cancer. Or maybe you’re curious about your risk of getting salivary gland cancer. This is a good place to start.
It’s important to get to know the signs of salivary gland cancer. Salivary gland cancer can be easier to treat when we catch it early. At MSK, we have treatment options for salivary gland cancer at every stage.
This guide is a good place to learn about what causes salivary gland cancer and about salivary gland cancer prevention. You can also learn about the signs and symptoms of salivary gland cancer.
This information can help you get ready to talk with your healthcare provider and understand your next steps.
Salivary gland cancer is a rare type of head and neck cancer. Salivary gland cancer starts when cells in your salivary glands grow out of control and form lesions or tumors.
Tumors that are benign (not cancer) can also form in the salivary glands. Benign salivary gland tumors are more common. Around 7 out of 10 salivary gland tumors are benign.
Most salivary gland tumors start in the parotid (puh-RAH-tid) glands, the largest salivary glands. The parotoid glands are located just in front of your ears. Parotid gland tumors are often benign.
Tumors also form in the other salivary glands, including:
Tumors in the submandibular, sublingual, and minor salivary glands are more likely to be cancer.
Treatments for salivary gland cancer can include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy.
Salivary gland cancer symptoms include a lump in your jaw, mouth, or neck. You may have pain or weakness in your face. Other signs of salivary gland cancer are trouble moving your jaw or swallowing.
We’ll do a physical exam of your head and neck area. You may have imaging tests, such as a CT scan. We may also do a biopsy of the tumor, the best way to tell if you have salivary gland cancer.
Surgery is the most common treatment for salivary gland tumors. Many people also get other treatments, such as radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy.
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What’s inside your salivary glands? Knowing your salivary glands’ anatomy can help you better understand where salivary cancer starts. Anatomy (uh-NA-toh-mee) means the parts of a structure, such as a salivary gland.
The salivary glands make saliva that goes into your mouth through openings called ducts. Saliva helps with:
There are 2 types of salivary glands.
Major salivary glands are the largest and most important. The major salivary glands make most of the saliva in your mouth.
Minor salivary glands are mostly too small to see without a microscope. There are hundreds of minor salivary glands.
There are 3 pairs of major salivary glands:
Parotid glands are the largest salivary glands. The parotid glands are located just in front of your ears. The parotid glands make saliva that goes into your mouth from a duct (opening) near your upper back teeth.
Each parotid gland has 2 lobes (parts), called the superficial lobe and the deep lobe. The facial nerve is between the 2 lobes. The facial nerve controls the muscles in your face. These muscles let you raise your eyebrows, close your eyes, and smile.
There are important blood vessels near the parotid glands. The external carotid artery supplies blood to the head and neck area. The retromandibular vein is a branch of the jugular vein.
Surgery to remove all or part of the parotid gland cancer is called a parotidectomy (puh-RAH-tih-DEK-toh-mee).
Submandibular glands are below the jaw and about the size of a walnut. They make saliva from under the tongue.
The submandibular glands also have 2 lobes (parts), called the superficial lobe and the deep lobe.
The submandibular glands are near nerves and muscles that affect how your mouth works and feels. MSK experts protect the nerves and muscles near the submandibular glands during treatment to keep them safe.
The submandibular glands are near these nerves in the face:
Sublingual glands are the smallest major salivary glands, and tumors here are very rare. Sublingual glands are under the floor of the mouth, below either side of the tongue.
Minor salivary gland tumors are very rare, but more likely to be cancer. Minor salivary gland cancers most often start in the roof of the mouth.
There are hundreds of minor salivary glands in the mouth and aerodigestive (ayr-OH-dy-JES-tiv) tract. The aerodigestive tract includes parts of the body that help you breathe and swallow.
Most minor salivary glands are in the lining of the:
Minor salivary glands are also inside the:
We’re experts in diagnosing and treating rare types of salivary gland, mouth, and thyroid cancers. That’s why many people with rare types of head and neck cancer come to MSK every year. We offer access to the latest research and treatment.
Most salivary gland cancers start in the parotid glands.
Parotid gland tumors are often benign (not cancer).
Tumors can also form in the:
Tumors in these glands are more likely to be cancer.
The salivary glands, including the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands.
MSK's free, online Patient and Community Education Library has more than 1,200 written and video resources about cancer care. MSK experts explain topics such as treatments, procedures, side effects, screening, and prevention. Our information is in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and other languages.
A risk factor is anything that raises your chance of getting a disease, such as cancer.
There are some risk factors that you cannot control. These include your age, race, or the genes you were born with.
There are other risk factors you can change. Research shows that having healthy habits can lower your risk for cancer.
A few risk factors can raise your risk for getting salivary gland cancer, including a history of skin cancer. Other examples are:
If you were exposed to radiation in the past, you have a higher chance of getting salivary gland cancer.
If you had radiation therapy during head and neck cancer treatment, you’re at higher risk for salivary gland cancer.
People exposed to radiation in the workplace also are at higher risk.
People assigned male at birth are more likely to get salivary gland cancer than people assigned female at birth.
As you get older, your salivary gland cancer risk goes up because your body’s cells become less healthy. This makes it harder for your body to fix them.
Salivary gland cancer often happens in people in their 50s or 60s.
There’s a strong link between drinking alcohol and mouth (oral) cancers. Research shows there also may be a link between alcohol and salivary gland cancer. More research is needed to understand how alcohol affects your risk for salivary gland cancer.
Learn more about how drinking alcohol can raise your risk for cancer.
Tobacco, including smokeless tobacco, may be a risk factor for salivary gland cancer.
Smoking or using tobacco products puts chemicals in your mouth that harm cells. If you learned you have salivary gland cancer or are in treatment, it’s not too late to quit.
If you smoke or chew tobacco, you can lower your risk for many types of cancer by stopping. Learn more about cancer and tobacco use, and help to quit smoking.
Some research shows a higher risk for salivary gland cancer if you have regular exposure to toxins. Exposure can be caused by:
Our Tobacco Treatment Program has experts who can help you quit smoking. It’s open to people who never had cancer or a disease linked to tobacco. It also welcomes anyone who has cancer, and cancer survivors. Our program offers treatment options to help you quit, such as counseling and medicine.
The causes of many salivary gland cancers are not known. More research is needed to better understand what causes salivary gland cancers and how to prevent them.
MSK nutrition experts recommend we eat mostly plants, lots of fiber, and less saturated fat. They explain a healthy diet, based on years of research. Learn about the:
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Salivary gland cancer screening means getting routine tests to find cancer, even before you have any signs or symptoms. The goal of regular screening is to find cancer at an early stage, when it’s easier to treat.
There’s no solid scientific evidence about whether screening prevents deaths from salivary gland cancer. Researchers are studying this in clinical trials, also known as research studies.
It’s still important to have your primary care provider and dentist check for signs of salivary gland cancer. Your healthcare provider can do this during your regular check-ups each year. They should examine your mouth and head and neck.
Head and neck surgeon Dr. Rebecca Gao, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, restores appearance and function after cancer treatment.
Some people with salivary gland cancer do not have any symptoms. Salivary gland cancer symptoms can also be caused by other things. Or, they can be signs of salivary gland tumors that are benign (not cancer).
Get regular check-ups with your healthcare provider, including your dentist. Salivary gland cancers may be found during routine dental appointments.
Early and common signs and symptoms of salivary gland cancer include:
Most people can open their mouth about the width of 3 fingers. See your healthcare provider if you’re having trouble opening your mouth this wide. You may have trismus, which is not cancer. Trismus can be a side effect of some head and neck cancer treatments.
Medical misinformation is harmful. It’s often framed as offering a “miracle cure” or something that “doctors don’t want you to know.” MSK experts explain how to find online cancer information you can trust. Much medical misinformation is about alternative medicine, often confused with integrative medicine.
Later-stage symptoms of salivary gland cancer include:
A lump in your neck may be caused by a swollen lymph node. Swelling in 1 or more lymph nodes in the neck can be a sign that salivary gland cancer has spread. Swollen lymph nodes are also a common sign of other head and neck cancers, including mouth (oral) cancer.
If you had skin cancer, a lump in your parotid gland may be a skin cancer tumor that has spread.
Infections such as a cold, strep throat, and chicken pox can also cause swollen lymph nodes. See your healthcare provider or dentist if you have swollen lymph nodes. They can help find the cause and get you the right care.
A swollen salivary gland is called sialadenitis. This salivary gland infection, sialadenitis, most often happens in the parotid and submandibular salivary glands.
Parotid glands swelling: The most common cause is a virus such as HIV, mumps, herpes, and the flu. Other causes of parotid glands swelling are:
Submandibular glands swelling: The most common cause is when tiny stones form in your salivary glands or ducts (openings). This blocks saliva from reaching your mouth. You may feel swelling below your lower jaw.
The salivary gland stones that form are called sialolithiasis.
Your salivary glands can swell for many reasons, such as an infection or blocked ducts. See a healthcare provider or dentist if your salivary glands are swollen. They can help find the cause and get you the right care.
