HEAD AND NECK CANCER GUIDE
Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis
Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
Head and Neck Cancer Prevention
Cancer of Salivary Glands
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