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Study Notes

Pleomorphic salivary adenoma is the most common benign salivary gland tumor.
Muco-epidermoid carcinoma is the most common malignant salivary tumor of the parotid gland.
Other benign tumors of the parotid include Papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum, Basal cell adenoma, and Oncocytoma.
Other malignant tumors of the parotid include Adenoid cystic carcinoma, Acinic cell carcinoma, Adenocarcinoma, and Squamous cell carcinoma.
The parotid gland is the largest of the 3 major salivary glands and is bounded by the zygomatic arch, masseter muscle, external ear, sternocleidomastoid muscle, and inferior body of the mandible.
The parotid gland receives its blood supply from branches of the external carotid artery and its sensory innervation from the auriculotemporal nerve and greater auricular nerve.
The risk factors for developing malignant salivary gland tumors include smoking, previous Epstein-barr infection, and radiation exposure.
Parotid swelling often presents as a slow-growing painless mass, smooth, firm lobulated mobile swelling, and positive curtain sign.
Features of malignancy include recent increase in size, pain, nodularity, involvement of skin, LN, facial nerve, masseter, and restriction of jaw movement.
Surgical excision is the preferred management for pleomorphic salivary adenomas due to the potential for malignant transformation.