Causes

Salivary gland tumors are rare. Their cause isn't clear.

Salivary gland tumors begin when some cells in a salivary gland develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do.

The changes tell the cells to grow and divide rapidly. The abnormal cells go on living when healthy cells would die. The accumulating cells form a tumor.

If additional changes happen in the DNA, the abnormal cells may become cancerous. Cancer cells can invade and destroy nearby tissue. They can also break away from the tumor and spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body.

Types of salivary gland tumors

Many different types of salivary gland tumors exist. Doctors classify salivary gland tumors based on the type of cells involved in the tumors. Knowing the type of salivary gland tumor you have helps your doctor determine which treatment options are best for you.

Types of noncancerous (benign) salivary gland tumors include:

• Pleomorphic adenoma
• Basal cell adenoma
• Canalicular adenoma
• Oncocytoma
• Warthin tumor

Types of cancerous (malignant) salivary gland tumors include:

1. Acinic cell carcinoma
2. Adenocarcinoma
3. Adenoid cystic carcinoma
4. Clear cell carcinoma
5. Malignant mixed tumor
6. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma
7. Oncocytic carcinoma
8. Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma
9. Salivary duct carcinoma
10. Squamous cell carcinoma