Salivary Gland Lumps

What are Salivary gland lumps ?

The major salivary glands are the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands (Figure 1). They produce saliva that is important in food digestion, keeping your mouth moist, fighting bacteria and keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Lumps or growths can occur in the salivary glands (Figure 2a and 2b). The likelihood of a lump being benign (non-cancerous) is about 80% in the parotid gland, 50% in the submandibular gland and 20% in the sublingual gland.

Thyroid SpecialistThe investigation of a salivary gland lump includes a fine needle aspiration and cytology (FNAC) or biopsy of the lump as well as an imaging scan (usually a CT scan of the neck with intravenous contrast). Treatment of salivary gland lumps depends on the nature of the lump (benign vs malignant). Most of the time, surgical removal of the salivary gland (either partial or total) will be recommended. As there are important structures close to the salivary gland, you should have an in-depth discussion with your doctor on the risks involved in surgical removal of the salivary glands.