Salivary Gland Tumors

The cancer growth in the salivary gland. They are rare type of tumors. The function salivary gland is to make the saliva which help in mastication and digestion of food. Mostly tumors of salivary gland are benign in nature. Salivary gland tumor is mostly in parotid gland.

Symptoms

Following are the signs and symptoms of salivary gland tumors:

Pain in opening of mouth
Muscle weakness
Numbness
Swelling near the neck and jaw region
Difficulty in swallowing

Causes

The exact cause of this tumor is unknown but it mostly cancer arise from the mutations which causes changes in the cell DNA due to which cell divided rapidly and abnormal cells are formed which destroy the nearby cells.

Diagnosis

After taking history your doctor might recommend the following tests:

Imaging test like MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CT (Computerized Tomography) scan to check the extend of disease.
Physical examination to check the lymph nodes
Tissue biopsy to check the stage and grade of malignancy

Treatment

The only best treatment of cancer of salivary gland is the surgical removal of the gland. Treatment options include:

Removing the affecting portion of gland
Removal of whole gland
Removing of lymph nodes
Radiotherapy to kill the cancer cells through radiations
chemotherapy

Lifestyle and home remedies

Following tips will help you:

Keep oral hygiene maintain
Brush your teeth regularly
Rinse mouth with mouth wash
Eat soft food
Avoid spicy food
Keep your mouth moist
Stay hydrated
Avoid smoking

Salivary Gland Tumors