Salivary Gland Tumors

Salivary gland tumor diagnosis often begins with a physical exam of the area by a healthcare professional. Imaging tests and a biopsy may be used to find the location of the tumor and determine what type of cells are involved.

Physical exam

A healthcare professional feels the jaw, neck and throat for lumps or swelling.

Imaging tests

Imaging tests make pictures of the body. They can show the location and size of a salivary gland tumor. Tests might include MRI, CT and positron emission tomography, which is also called a PET scan.

Biopsy

A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. To collect a sample of tissue, a fine-needle aspiration or a core needle biopsy may be used. During the biopsy, a thin needle is inserted into the salivary gland to draw out a sample of suspicious cells. The sample is sent to a lab for testing. Tests can show what types of cells are involved and whether the cells are cancerous.

Determining the extent of salivary gland cancer

If you’re diagnosed with salivary gland cancer, you may have other tests to see if the cancer has spread. These tests help your healthcare team find out the extent of your cancer, also called the stage. Cancer staging tests often involve imaging tests. The tests might look for signs of cancer in your lymph nodes or in other parts of your body. Your healthcare team uses the cancer staging test results to help create your treatment plan.

Imaging tests may include CT, MRI and PET scan. Not every test is right for every person. Talk with your healthcare professional about which procedures will work for you.

The stages of salivary gland cancer range from 0 to 4. A stage 0 salivary gland cancer is small and only in the gland. As the cancer gets larger and grows deeper into the gland and surrounding areas, such as the facial nerve, the stages get higher. A stage 4 salivary gland cancer has grown beyond the gland or has spread to the lymph nodes in the neck or to distant parts of the body.