Salivary Gland Tumours

Question 1

80% of salivary gland neoplasms occur in which gland?

Answer 1

Parotid

Question 2

Are most parotid neoplasms benign in nature?

Answer 2

Yes and 80% of the benign neoplasms are pleomorphic adenomas

Question 3

What percentage of neoplasms occurring in the submandibular gland are malignant?

Answer 3

50%

Question 4

What percentage of sublingual gland tumours are malignant?

Answer 4

80%

Question 5

What signs/symptoms suggest malignancy?

Answer 5

Short history
Painful
Hot skin
Hard
Fixation
CNVII involvement - facial palsy

Question 6

Should benign tumours invade structures such as the facial nerve?

Answer 6

No

Question 7

What benign parotid tumour types are there?

Answer 7

Benign pleomorphic adenoma or benign mixed tumour
Warthin tumour
Monomorphic adenoma
Haemangioma

Question 8

Are benign parotid neoplasms more common in men or women?

Answer 8

Women - with exception of Warthins tumours

Question 9

Which benign tumour accounts for 90% of parotid tumours in children less than 1 ?

Answer 9

Haemangioma

Question 10

Describe a parotid benign pleomorphic adenoma

Answer 10

Most common parotid neoplasm
Proliferation of epithelial and myoepithelial cells of ducts and increase in stromal components
Slow growing
Not well encapsulated
Malignant degeneration 2-10% of adenomas observed for long periods

Question 11

What is the most common benign bilateral neoplasm of parotid?

Answer 11

Warthin tumour

Question 12

What types of malignant salivary gland tumours are there?

Answer 12

Mucoepidermoid 
Adenoid cystic carcinoma
Mixed tumours 
Lymphoma 
Actinic cell carcinoma
Adenocarcinoma

Question 13

How are they treated?

Answer 13

Nearly all lesions - surgical resection
For benign disease - superficial parotidectomy
For malignant disease - radical or extended radical parotidectomy performed

Need for neck dissection determined by potential for nodal involvement