Salivary gland cancer is not just one disease. There are different salivary glands found inside and near the mouth. Several types of cancer (and non-cancerous tumors) can start in these glands.

About the salivary glands

Salivary glands make saliva, the fluid found in the mouth and throat. Saliva contains enzymes that begin the process of breaking down food. It also contains substances to help prevent infections of the mouth and throat.

There are 2 main types of salivary glands: major and minor.

Major salivary glands

There are 3 kinds of major salivary glands, as shown above. They come in pairs.

• The parotid glands, the largest salivary glands, are found on each side of the face, just in front of the ears. About 7 out of 10 salivary gland tumors start here. While most of these tumors are benign (non-cancerous), the parotid gland is still where most salivary gland cancers start.

• The submandibular glands are smaller and are found at the back of the jaw. About 1 or 2 out of 10 tumors start in these glands, and about half of these tumors are benign.

• The sublingual glands, which are the smallest, are found under the floor of the mouth and below either side of the tongue. Tumors starting in these glands are rare.

There are hundreds more minor salivary glands which are too small to see without a microscope. These minor glands are found beneath the lining of the lips, tongue, hard and soft palate, and inside the cheeks, nose, sinuses, and voice box. Tumors that start in the minor salivary glands are more likely to be cancerous, but are rare.

Salivary gland cancers

Salivary gland cancer may be named after the type of cell from which it started. There are many different cell types. Salivary gland cancers are also given a grade of 1, 2, or 3 based on how they look under a microscope. Grade 1 (also called low-grade) cancer cells look more like normal cells and have a better outlook. Grade 3 (high-grade) look very different from normal cells and are more likely to grow and spread quickly. Grade 2 cancers are in between.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts in immune system cells. It can start in the salivary glands. It behaves and is treated differently than other types of cancer in the salivary glands. For more information on lymphomas, see the separate American Cancer Society document, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

If you have salivary gland cancer, ask your doctor to explain exactly what kind of cancer you have, where it started, and the grade of the cancer.

Last Medical Review: 02/26/2009
Last Revised: 02/26/2009