Salivary gland tumor risk factors

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Simrat Sarai, M.D. [2]

Overview

Common risk factors in the development of salivary gland tumors are age, radiation exposure, environment and occupational exposure, certain viruses, male gender, smoking, and family history.

Risk Factors

Common risk factors in the development of salivary gland tumors includes the following:

• Age
  • Salivary gland tumors can occur at any age, although it is most commonly diagnosed in older adults. Two out of every 3 salivary gland cancers are found in people 55 and older. The average age at which salivary gland cancers are found is at the age of 64.
• Radiation exposure
  • Radiation therapy to the head or neck for any medical reason may increase the risk of developing salivary gland cancer. There is convincing evidence that exposure to radiation increases your risk for salivary gland cancer. The risk is related to how much radiation someone is exposed to. People who had radiation therapy to the head or neck and atomic bomb survivors have the highest risk. People who had many full-mouth dental x-rays also have a high risk for salivary gland cancer. This is especially true for people who had these x-rays before the 1960s when the doses of radiation were much higher. There is also an increased risk for salivary gland cancer in people who were treated with radioactive iodine-131 for thyroid cancer.
• Environmental or occupational exposure
  • Environment or occupational exposure to sawdust, chemicals used in the leather industry, pesticides, and some industrial solvents may increase the risk of a type of salivary gland cancer that occurs in the nose and sinuses.
• HIV and EBV
  • Viruses that are associated with salivary gland cancer include HIV and the Epstein-Barr virus.
• Male gender
  • Salivary gland tumors are more common in men than in women.
• Family history
  • Rarely, members of some families seem to have a higher than usual risk of developing salivary gland cancers. The majority of people who get salivary gland cancer do not have a family history of this disease.
• Smoking
  • Warthin's tumor has a strong association with smoking, although in other salivary gland tumors no clear relationship is seen.