Salivary gland cancer

Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer

Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

Salivary gland cancer is often painless in its early stages. A common sign is a lump, mass or swelling in the area of a salivary gland. Just because you have a lump in the area of a salivary gland, however, doesn't necessarily mean you have cancer. More than half the tumors found in the salivary glands are noncancerous (benign).

Signs and symptoms that may indicate salivary gland cancer and a need to see your doctor include the following:

  • A lump or swelling on or near your jaw or in your neck or mouth
  • Numbness in part of your face
  • Muscle weakness on one side of your face 
  • Persistent pain in the area of a salivary gland
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Trouble opening your mouth widely
  • A newly developed, noticeable difference in size between the right and left side of your face

DS00708

March 15, 2008

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger