Salivary Cancer

Most salivary tumours are actually benign. A few are however malignant. There are many different types of cancer affecting the salivary glands including mucoepidermoid cancers, adenoid cystic cancers, acinic cell cancers, salivary duct cancers, carcinoma ex-pleomorphic and also squamous cell cancers.

Squamous cell cancers in this area have often originated in nearby skin cancer. There are 3 main salivary glands on each side – parotid, submandibular and sublingual. There are also hundreds of minor salivary glands dotted around the mouth.

Most of these cancers are treated with surgery to remove cancer e.g. parotidectomy or submandibular gland excision and a neck dissection. Often this is followed by radiotherapy. Most tumours are treated with the aim of curing the patient.