ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about these diseases and the parts of the body they may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Cancer. Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide.

About the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses

The nasal cavity is the space just behind the nose where air passes on its way to the throat. The paranasal sinuses are air-filled areas that surround the nasal cavity. The paranasal sinuses include:

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about this disease and the parts of the body it may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Head and Neck Cancer. Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide.

Cancer begins when healthy cells change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a tumor. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about the different types of treatments doctors use for people with salivary gland cancer. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about this disease and the parts of the body it may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Nasopharyngeal Cancer. Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find a list of common tests, procedures, and scans that doctors can use to find out what’s wrong and identify the cause of the problem. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will read about your medical care after cancer treatment is completed, and why this follow-up care is important. Use the menu to see other pages.

Care for people diagnosed with salivary gland cancer does not end when active treatment has finished. Your health care team will continue to check that the cancer has not come back, manage any side effects, and monitor your overall health. This is called follow-up care.

ON THIS PAGE: You will read about the scientific research being done to learn more about this type of cancer and how to treat it. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors are working to learn more about salivary gland cancer, ways to prevent it, how to best treat it, and how to provide the best care to people diagnosed with this disease. The following areas of research may include new options for people through clinical trials. Always talk with your doctor about the best diagnostic and treatment options for you.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about how doctors describe a cancer’s growth or spread, as well as what the cancer cells look like under a microscope. This is called the stage and grade. Use the menu to see other pages.

Staging is a way of describing where the cancer is located, if or where it has spread, and whether it is affecting other parts of the body.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about body changes and other things that can signal a problem that may need medical care. Use the menu to see other pages.

People with salivary gland cancer may experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people with salivary gland cancer do not have any of these changes. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a different medical condition that is not cancer.

• A lump on the face, neck, or mouth that is usually painless

• Numbness in the face

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the factors that increase the chance of developing salivary gland cancer. Use the menu to see other pages.

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors often influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. Knowing your risk factors and talking about them with your doctor may help you make more informed lifestyle and health care choices.