Salivary glands produce saliva that keeps your mouth wet and helps in swallowing and digestion. There are 3 main pairs of salivary glands. These are:

• parotid glands – located between cheeks and ears;
• sublingual glands – under the tongue;
• submandibular glands – located below each side of the jaw.

Salivary gland cancer most commonly affects the parotid glands.

Symptoms of salivary gland cancer are:

• swelling near the jaw, neck, or mouth
• swelling without pain in the affected area
• difficulty in swallowing
• difficulty in opening the mouth wide
• difficulty in moving a single part of the face, known as facial nerve paralysis