Salivary Gland Masses

Salivary gland masses are growths that are formed from abnormal cells in salivary glands. The salivary glands, while small, provide the much-needed function of making saliva.

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Saliva helps digest your food, keeps the mouth moist at all times, and keeps the teeth healthy. These masses can cause patients to experience muscle weakness in part of the face, difficulty swallowing, and a lump or swelling in the area. Although most salivary gland masses are benign, they can be cancerous, so it is important to have them evaluated and treated by a highly experienced provider.

Salivary Gland Mass Treatment Options

Surgery is the main form of treatment for salivary gland masses. Salivary gland surgery includes the complete or partial removal of the salivary glands, including the areas where there are masses. This surgery offers patients relief from the side effects of salivary gland masses and completely removes them.

The portion of the gland with the mass is removed as well as some surrounding tissue, and the incision is closed.

About Salivary Gland Masses

There are three pairs of main salivary glands: the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular glands. There are other more minor salivary glands in the lips, cheeks, mouth, and throat.

Masses can form in any of these glands, but are most commonly found in the parotid, which is the largest. The cause of the mass formation or salivary gland cancer is not known.

Symptoms of Salivary Gland Masses

Difficulty swallowing
Facial muscle weakness
Pain in the area of the salivary glands
Facial numbness
Lump in the jaw, neck, or mouth
Swelling near the jaw, neck, or mouth

About Texas ENT Specialists

Texas ENT Specialists provides patients across Houston with proven expertise in a wide range of ear, nose, and throat conditions. Since 1997, we have been helping our patients find long-term relief for the medical conditions that impact their daily life. We have 15 office locations across the Houston area to ensure we’re always able to easily provide you with care. We have set ourselves apart in ENT care by offering:

Personalized Treatment

We work to understand your condition and how it affects your life — then we personalize each treatment to meet your specific needs, taking into account everything that makes your case unique.

Top-Rated Physician Network

Each of our locations is staffed with a group of fellowship-trained and board-certified providers who have years of experience diagnosing and treating ENT conditions.

Centers of Excellence

We hold our offices to the highest standards, which can be seen in every step of our seamless patient experience.

Continuity of Care

Our providers work with each patient to try and target the root of the condition to provide long-lasting relief.

Salivary Glands Masses FAQ's

Who Is at Risk?

The cause of salivary gland masses and cancer is not known. If you do begin to feel any symptoms, it’s important to have them evaluated. There are some factors that may put you at greater risk of developing masses, including:

Older age
Radiation treatments
Toxic exposure

How will I know if I have a salivary gland mass?

You may begin to feel some of the symptoms listed above. At Texas ENT Specialists, we offer testing to determine if you have salivary gland masses, and we are also able to remove them.

Are the masses cancerous?

Not all masses are cancerous; in fact, most are actually benign. It’s a possibility for the masses to be cancerous, but this is rare. Ultimately, this is why it’s very important to have the masses removed and tested.