In addition to all organs, many different types of tumors, either benign or malignant, can develop in the salivary gland, which has such an important function. Acıbadem Dr. Şinasi Can (Kadıköy) Hospital Otorhinolaryngology Specialist Prof. Dr. Çetin Vural stated that although it can be seen in all age groups, including children, the majority of patients with salivary gland tumors are in the 40-70 age group and said, “Fortunately, 70-80% of these tumors are benign. However, some of the benign tumors should not be neglected because they can change their character and turn into malignant tumors over time.
World statistics indicate that one new malignant and 3-4 benign salivary gland tumors will emerge within a year in a community of 100 thousand people. If we accept the population of our country as 85 million, it is estimated that 850-1000 salivary gland cancers and 4 thousand benign salivary gland tumors will occur every year. Otorhinolaryngology Specialist Prof. Dr. Çetin Vural pointed out that early diagnosis facilitates treatment in salivary gland tumors, as in all tumors, and said, “Today, thanks to the developments in medical technology and surgical techniques, almost all benign salivary gland tumors that have been applied and planned correctly today are an important part of malignant salivary gland tumors. part of it leaves the patient’s life, never to return. “For most patients, all that remains is a thin scar that even a careful eye will hardly notice,” he says.
ATTENTION TO PAINLESS Swelling
Salivary gland tumors; It often appears as ‘painless swelling’ in areas such as the face, neck, mouth (palate, tongue) and pharynx. Otorhinolaryngology Specialist Prof. Dr. Çetin Vural stated that salivary gland tumors most commonly develop in the salivary gland in front of the ear and said, “Therefore, the majority of patients apply to the physician with complaints of swelling or a mass in front of or just below the ear. If the tumor occurs in the salivary gland under the chin, swelling/mass under the chin or if it develops in the mouth or palate, there is a complaint of a mass in that area. In some patients, the tumor is located deep enough to be unnoticeable from the outside. These tumors are often detected incidentally in imaging methods such as CT, MRI or ultrasound, which are requested for other problems of the head and neck region.
DON’T THINK IT’S OIL GLAND
Noting that benign salivary gland tumors usually grow slowly, Prof. Dr. Çetin Vural said, “Patients may think that the tumor is an oil or lymph node at the initial stage and may delay in applying to the doctor. However, malignant tumors may cause serious problems such as facial paralysis by invading surrounding tissues and gnawing on the facial nerve in the future, and may threaten life by metastasizing to distant organs. For this reason, swelling should never be neglected.”
TOBACCO IS A SERIOUS RISK FACTOR
The cause of benign or malignant salivary gland tumors is often unknown. However, like most tumors, exposure to cigarettes, tobacco and radiation are blamed as risk factors for the formation of these tumors. The tumor called Warthin tumor is almost always seen in patients who have been using tobacco for a long time.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD SURGICAL TREATMENT
The most effective treatment method for salivary gland tumors is almost always surgery. With the surgical method, the tumor is removed, often with some healthy tissue around it, while preserving vital structures such as the facial nerve in the area. In benign or low-grade (less aggressive) malignant tumors, it is often possible to completely remove the tumor from the patient’s life with a successful surgical method. Otorhinolaryngology Specialist Prof. Dr. Çetin Vural states that only in the presence of a high-grade (more aggressive) malignant tumor, radiotherapy method (radiation therapy) can be added to the treatment plan after the surgical procedure.
MINIMUM RISK WITH NERVE MONITOR
The risk of damage to the facial nerve in the surgeries of salivary gland tumors is one of the problems that patients are most worried about. In recent years, a method called ‘nerve monitor’ has been widely used in the surgical removal of tumors located in the parotid salivary gland, through which the facial nerve passes. prof. Dr. Çetin Vural says, “This method facilitates the protection of the facial nerve and its branches during the operation, and contributes to the safer completion of the operation.”