23: Salivary glands

What are the 3 glands

sublingual gland

submandibular gland

parotid gland

location of sublingual glands? Where their ducts open?

just under FOM

Ducts open into FOM

location of submandibular glands? Where their ducts open?

just below the mandible

Ducts open - at the bases of the frenulum of the tongue in the FOM

Location of the parotid glands? where do their ducts open to?

deep to the skin and covers masseter muscle

ducts open- to oral cavity

You can feel the ducts of the parotid gland with the tip of your tongue in what location in oral cavity?

opposite the upper 2nd molar

Which salivary gland is the largest?

parotid

Viral infection of the ___ ducts/ glands is called ____

parotid, mumps

What is the role of the salivary glands

1. digestion

2. tooth protection

Salivary gland tumor epidemiology

• rare

• most are benign

In which gland do most salivary gland tumors occur?

Parotid 

__% of salivary gland tumors occur in the parotid gland

80% but most are benign

Etiology for salivary gland tumors

Radiation exposure

Breast cancer patients have increased incidence of parotid tumors

Parotid tumor presentation (symptoms)

1. swelling/ lump in parotid area

2. rapid growth

3. local pain

4. facial palsy

5. tenderness

6. trismus

7. palpable cervical nodes

Spit really fast (on) the P, love

What is virtually diagnostic of parotid cancer?

facial nerve paralysis

Pathology of salivary gland cancers

1. Benign- most

2. Adenoid cystic- most common malignant

3. mucoepidermoid

4. adenocarcinoma

Treatment of salivary gland cancers background information

• resistant to RTT

• Propensity for late recurrence 

tx of Salivary gland cancer

surgery w/ post op RTT

What structures should be included in large fields for salivary gland cancer

nerves in the area

Why should nerves be included in the RTT field for salivary gland cancer

Propensity of the tumor to invade the perineural lymphatics

Treatment fields for salivary gland cancer

1. ipsilateral, single lateral port w/ electrons

2 mixed energy and photon- more common

What is showing good potential for treating salivary cancer tumor

1. high LET neutron therapy

2. Accelerated fractionation (higher dose/ day to the same total dose)