The parotid gland is the largest of the salivary glands. Salivary glands; They are known as organs or organlets located in our head and neck region, which discharge the digestive secretion they produce, that is, saliva, to areas such as the mouth, throat, pharynx, nose and sinuses, to which they are connected through special channels. Salivary glands aid digestion. At the same time, it provides the necessary wetness and moisture for the mouth, throat, nose and larynx cavities and provides defense against microorganisms that cause infection there. They are located in our body as major and minor. Major ones; It is called Parotid gland (salivary gland in front of the ear), Submandibular gland (salivary gland under the jaw) and Sublingual Gland (sublingual salivary gland). There are two of these on the right and left sides of our face. The minor ones are scattered in hundreds within the mucosa.
Parotid, that is, the salivary gland in front of the ear; They are organs that extend from the front of our ear to the back of the jaw corner on both sides of our face, right and left. The facial nerve, which enables facial expression movements, also passes through the parotid salivary glands. The facial nerve divides the parotid salivary gland into two: deep and superficial. The part of the salivary gland that lies under the skin on the surface of the facial nerve is called the parotid superficial lobe. The deep part of the facial nerve, located in the back-deep part of the jawbone, is called the parotid deep lobe.
As the number of healthy cells decreases in the body, tumorous structures begin to form in the salivary glands. They occur as benign or malignant. Benign tumors are generally harmless, but should be removed if detected because of the possibility of turning into malignant over time. However, malignant ones can spread to other parts of the body if not diagnosed early. The diversity of parotid gland tumors is higher than other tumors occurring in the body. Benign tumors are generally seen after the age of 40, and malignant tumors are seen after the age of 50.
Parotid Gland Tumors
The most common parotid gland tumor. It is pleomorphic adenoma. It can occur in the 20s, but is more common in the 40s. It is more common in women and is generally superficial. The hand settles in the area. The capsules of pleomorphic adenomas are very thin and tumor extension may occur through the capsule.
The other parotid gland tumor is warthin tumor. It is a benign tumor seen in the parotid gland and its tail. This tumor is mostly seen in male smokers after the age of 40. It has a direct relationship with smoking.
Monomorphic adenomas are also parotid gland tumors. It is seen very rarely. There are types of this tumor such as basal cell adenoma, canalicular adenoma, oncocytoma and myoepithelioma.
It is the most common mucoepidermoid carcinoma and is a malignant tumor. It is more common in female patients and children after the age of 40. There are low, medium and high stages.
Adenoid cystic carcinoma is rarely seen in the parotid. This tumor, which is seen equally in men and women, may spread to other organs through the blood after treatment. It can mostly reach the lungs, rarely the bone marrow and liver. The tumor progresses slowly.
Another parotid gland tumor is acinus cell carcinoma. This is not a very common situation. It is more common in women in their 40s and in children.
Parotid Gland Tumor Symptoms
The most important symptom of benign tumors is the formation of painless swelling. This swelling may be under the earlobe, in front of the auricle, under the jawbone or under the tongue. The growth rate of this swelling is slow and pain is not observed.
In malignant tumors;
- Rapid growth of the swelling
- Pain
- New-onset facial paralysis
- Significant discoloration of the skin
Parotid Gland Tumor Treatment
A person who feels swelling should consult a specialist ENT doctor. . Your doctor will examine you after listening to your story. After a complete examination, an investigation is carried out to learn the structure and spread of the mass using ultrasound, tomography or MRI methods. Apart from all these, it is determined whether the tumor is benign or malignant by fine needle aspiration biopsy. Sometimes a definitive diagnosis cannot be made with this method. In such a case, the tumor must be completely removed surgically and examined by pathologists. It needs to be examined. There is no need for additional treatment after surgery for benign tumors. Malignant tumors are treated by radiotherapy or chemotherapy after surgery.
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