There are 23 salivary gland cancers. They are all rare.  Due to the wide range of these cancers, there are many different sites in the body where primary and secondary tumours can be found.

These pages explain more about the anatomy of these sites. This includes primary sites in the major and minor salivary glands of the head and neck, the Bartholin’s glands in the vulva, the lacrimal gland in the eye, the trachea (windpipe), the breast and the skin.  There is also information about the anatomy of sites where secondary tumours (metastatic cancer) can appear, including the lungs and the spine.

Treatments for salivary gland cancers, including surgery and radiotherapy, can affect tissues surrounding the tumour. These tissues include bones in the head (maxilla and mandible) nerves in the head (trigeminal and optic) and the eye.