Parotid Gland Tumors

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.

Guest: Eric J. Moore, M.D.

Salivary gland tumors can be benign or malignant, as well as primary or metastatic. Malignant salivary gland tumors usually present after the 6th decade, whereas benign lesions tend to occur a bit earlier, usually in the 4th to 5th decades. An interesting statistic is that the vast majority of salivary gland tumors occur in the parotid, only about 10% occur in the submandibular salivary gland and less than 4% in the minor salivary glands. Fortunately, most parotid tumors are benign. Previous radiation as well as occupational exposure to silica and nitrosamines have been linked to malignant parotid tumors. What should a primary care clinician do when we discover a mass in the parotid gland? What imaging studies are helpful? What treatment is available and what happens if the tumor recurs? These are all questions I’ll be asking my guest, Eric J. Moore, M.D., Chair of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at the Mayo Clinic as we discuss “Parotid Gland Tumors”.

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