Getting diagnosed
It can be hard for GPs to decide who may have cancer and who might have a more minor condition. For some symptoms, your doctor may ask you to wait to see if the symptoms get better or respond to treatment, such as antibiotics.
There are guidelines for GPs to help them decide who needs a referral. These vary slightly between the different UK nations. Your GP will use these guidelines as well as their own experience and judgement.
GPs in England and Wales follow the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE don’t have specific guidelines for salivary gland cancer. Specialists in Northern Ireland are updating their head and neck guidelines. We will add these when they are available.
These Scottish guidelines apply to general head and neck cancer symptoms not just salivary gland cancer.
You should have an emergency (same day) referral if you have symptoms caused by a blockage or narrowing of the airway. This includes noisy breathing ().
You should have an urgent referral to a specialist if you have any of the following symptoms that last for 3 weeks or more and cannot be explained:
you are aged 35 or over and have a hoarse voice that is constant and does not improve
you have one-sided throat pain that is there all the time
you have pain when swallowing
you have red or red and white patches in your mouth
you have a swelling, hardening, thickening, or ulcer (break in the skin) on your lips or inside your mouth
you have a lump in the head or neck area
You will see a specialist as soon as possible. Ask your GP when this is likely to be.
Read more about your urgent referral
A lump or growth in your neck is a common symptom of head and neck cancer and may be the only symptom you have. Your GP might refer you to a neck lump clinic if there is one at your hospital.
The neck lump clinic is a one stop clinic. You see a specialist who examines your lump. You then have tests to check for cancer, such as an ultrasound scan. The doctor may take a sample of tissue .
Many neck lumps are not cancer, but it is important to be sure.
Depending on the clinic, you will either:
have a follow up appointment about a week later to get the results
or get some or all of the results on the same day
Your GP will consider any other symptoms that you are having, so do mention these.
Find out more about the symptoms of salivary gland cancer
They might also take into account whether you have any risk factors that affect your chances of developing salivary gland cancer.
Go to the risks and causes of salivary gland cancer
If you are still worried, it’s worth remembering that salivary gland cancers are very rare. You could make another appointment with your GP if you are concerned they are not taking your symptoms seriously.
You could print this page and ask your GP to talk it through with you. Then you might be able to decide together whether you need to see a specialist.
If your GP has referred you, ask them when you should get your appointment. Contact them again if you don’t get one. Or some hospitals have a referral service you could try contacting if you know which hospital you are going to. Explain that you are waiting for an urgent suspected cancer referral.
Go to more information about an urgent referral
Your hospital is working towards waiting time targets. For example, a target to find out whether you have cancer or not. And there are targets to start treatment if you are diagnosed with cancer. These are slightly different depending on where you live in the UK.
Last reviewed: 23 Mar 2023
Next review due: 23 Mar 2026
See your GP if you notice a change that isn't normal for you. Or if you have any of the possible signs and symptoms of salivary gland cancer.
Treatment for salivary gland cancer depends on where the cancer is, the size, whether it has spread anywhere else and your health.
Salivary gland cancer can start in any of the glands that make spit (saliva). As well as 3 major pairs of salivary glands we have over 600 smaller, minor salivary glands throughout the lining of the mouth and throat.
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