What are the dangers of parotid gland tumor?

Some people think that parotid tumors are not serious and can be removed with a minor operation. In fact, parotid gland tumors pose a great threat to the facial nerves. Because the parotid gland is close to the facial nerve, if parotid tumor cells show signs of spreading, it can be very dangerous.

Most parotid gland tumors occur in the glandular lobe tissue superficial to the facial nerve, accounting for more than 80%. The vast majority of patients with parotid tumors accidentally discover a painless, slowly growing mass centered on the earlobe. The duration of the disease is uncertain and may last for several years or even decades in the elderly.

Symptoms of parotid gland tumors include pain, especially persistent pain that progressively worsens, or facial nerve dysfunction or paralysis, which is one of the signs of parotid gland malignant tumors, but not all malignant tumors have this symptom. Patients with malignant tumors and facial nerve paralysis have an increased rate of cervical lymph node metastasis and a poor prognosis. About 10 percent of parotid tumors occur in the deep tissues of the parotid gland. Due to its deep location, it is difficult to detect in the early stages. When it reaches a certain size, bulging of the soft palate above and behind the tonsil on the affected side can be seen. The specific symptoms of parotid gland tumors are as follows:

① There is a painless lump below the ear on the side of the face;

② The most common cause of parotid masses above the front of the tragus is enlarged parotid lymph nodes;

③ If a clear mass is found in the parotid gland, whether it is a tumor should exclude mumps, suppurative mumps, parotid tuberculosis, parotid duct stones and bilateral diffuse parotid enlargement.