Salivary gland tumor care at Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic specialists provide expert, personalized care to people with salivary gland tumors.

Your Mayo Clinic care team

At Mayo Clinic, oral and maxillofacial surgeons work with ear, nose and throat specialists (otorhinolaryngologists) to form a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive care for people with salivary gland tumors. The team also includes radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, and rehabilitation medicine specialists. Other professionals are included as needed.

Salivary gland cancer care is coordinated by the Head and Neck Cancer Center.

Advanced diagnosis and treatment

Mayo Clinic doctors use the latest treatment options and technology to diagnose and treat cancer, including:

  • Technical expertise in surgery. Surgery to remove a salivary gland can be complicated because several important nerves are located in and around the salivary glands. Mayo Clinic specialists have extensive experience in minimally invasive surgical techniques that reduce the effects of tumor removal on your appearance. Mayo Clinic surgeons work to minimize the scar from the surgical incision, preserve facial nerves and reconstruct the surgery site.
  • The latest innovations in radiation therapy. Newer radiation therapy treatments allow specialists to carefully control radiation beams in order to customize treatment for salivary gland cancer. Technologies include intensity-modulated radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery and proton therapy. These technologies deliver powerful radiation to the tumor cells while limiting radiation to critical healthy tissues nearby, such as the eyes, optic nerves, brain, brainstem and spinal cord.

Expertise and rankings

Mayo Clinic doctors are widely respected for the experience and expertise in caring for people with salivary gland tumors. When you seek care at Mayo Clinic, you can expect:

  • Personalized care. Mayo Clinic ear, nose and throat specialists (otorhinolaryngologists), oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and plastic and reconstructive surgeons work together to ensure all of your needs are addressed when creating your customized treatment plan. Other experts are included, depending on your particular needs, including radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, rehabilitation medicine specialists, pathologists and radiologists.
  • Experience you can trust. Each year, more than 800 people with salivary gland tumors receive care at Mayo Clinic. This experience means your care team is prepared with knowledge and resources to provide you with exactly the care you need.
  • Nationally recognized expertise. Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center meets the strict standards for a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center, which recognize scientific excellence and a multispecialty approach focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

Locations, travel and lodging

Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:

Costs and insurance

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.

Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.