Overview

What Is Salivary Gland Cancer?

Salivary glands are found just below the tongue, on the sides of the face in front of the ears, and under the jawbone. There are also salivary glands in different parts of the upper digestive tract. Salivary glands make saliva, which keeps food moist and helps dissolve food. There are three pairs of major salivary glands, with hundreds of minor glands in the mouth, nose and larynx. Salivary gland cancer is a rare type of cancer that forms in the glands that produce saliva. The majority of salivary gland tumors are non cancerous (benign).