There are four kinds of salivary glands. The parotid glands are in front of each ear (enlarged in mumps), the submaxillary (or submandibular) glands are just below the lower jaw bones, the sublingual glands are under the tongue, and many small, minor salivary glands line the mouth, nose and throat.
There are both benign and malignant tumors of these glands, although the term benign may be misleading. These "benign" tumors rarely if ever metastasize, but their growth can be fairly aggressive and the surgery needed to control them may resemble that needed for malignant tumors of the same gland. There have been cases in which benign salivary gland tumors have caused death by recurring and invading the tissues of the face or brain.
