The signs and symptoms are similar to other malignant salivary gland tumours; however, it may have been preceded by an appreciable mass that was long-standing and did not appear to be growing.

Findings that suggest a malignant salivary gland tumour include rapid growth, facial weakness (due to facial nerve compression), pain, skin ulceration, fixation of the mastoid tip

and parasthesias.

Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma, abbreviated ca ex PA, is a type of cancer typically found in the parotid gland. It arises from the benign tumour pleomorphic adenoma.

Its prognosis depends on the stage. Early tumour have essentially a benign behaviour.

The tumor is usually solitary and presents as a slow growing, painless, firm single nodular mass. Isolated nodules are generally outgrowths of the main nodule rather than a multinodular presentation. It is usually mobile unless found in the palate and can cause atrophy of the mandibular ramus when located in the parotid gland. When found in the parotid tail, it may present as an eversion of the ear lobe. Though it is classified as a benign tumor, pleomorphic adenomas have the capacity to grow to large proportions and may undergo malignant transformation, to form carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma, a risk that increases with time (9.5% chance to convert into malignancy in 15 years). Although it is "benign" the tumor is aneuploid, it can recur after resection, it invades normal adjacent tissue and distant metastases have been reported after long (+10 years) time intervals.

Pleomorphic adenoma is a common benign salivary gland neoplasm characterised by neoplastic proliferation of parenchymatous glandular cells along with myoepithelial components, having a malignant potentiality. It is the most common type of salivary gland tumor and the most common tumor of the parotid gland. It derives its name from the architectural Pleomorphism (variable appearance) seen by light microscopy. It is also known as "Mixed tumor, salivary gland type", which describes its pleomorphic appearance as opposed to its dual origin from epithelial and myoepithelial elements.

Salivary gland oncocytomas are most common in ages 70–80, females, the parotid gland (85–90%), and are firm, slowly growing, painless masses of less than 4 cm. They may be bilateral.

An oncocytoma is an epithelial tumor composed of oncocytes, large eosinophilic cells having small, round, benign-appearing nuclei with large nucleoli.

Oncocytoma can arise in a number of organs.

Warthin's tumor primarily affects older individuals (age 60–70 years). There is a slight male predilection according to recent studies. The tumor is slow growing, painless, and usually appears in the tail of the parotid gland near the angle of the mandible. In 5–14% of cases, Warthin's tumor is bilateral, but the two masses usually are at different times. Warthin's tumor is highly unlikely to become malignant.

The gland most likely affected is the parotid gland. In fact, it is the only tumor virtually restricted to the parotid gland. Though much less likely to occur than pleomorphic adenoma, Warthin's tumor is the second most common benign parotid tumor.

Due to the diverse nature of salivary gland tumours, many different terms and classification systems have been used. Perhaps the most widely used currently is that system proposed by the World Health Organization in 2004, which classifies salivary neoplasms as primary or secondary, benign or malignant, and also by tissue of origin. This system defines five broad categories of salivary gland neoplasms:

Benign epithelial tumors

- Pleomorphic adenoma

- Warthin's tumor

- Myoepithelioma

- Basal cell adenoma

- Oncocytoma

- Canalicular adenoma

- Lymphadenoma

- "Sebaceous lymphadenoma"

- "Nonsebaceous lymphadenoma"

- Ductal papilloma

- "Inverted ductal papilloma"

- "Intraductal papilloma"

- "Sialadenoma papilliferum"

- Cystadenoma

- Malignant epithelial tumors

- Acinic cell carcinoma

- Mucoepidermoid carcinoma

- Adenoid cystic carcinoma

- Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma

- Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma

- Clear cell carcinoma, not otherwise specified

- Basal cell adenocarcinoma

- Sebaceous carcinoma

- Sebaceous lymphadenocarcinoma

- Cystadenocarcinoma

- Low-grade cribriform cystadenocarcinoma

- Mucinous adenocarcinoma

- Oncocytic carcinoma

- Salivary duct carcinoma

- Salivary duct carcinoma, not otherwise specified

- Adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified

- Myoepithelial carcinoma

- Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma

- Mammary analogue secretory carcinoma

- Carcinosarcoma

- Metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma

- Squamous cell carcinoma

- Large cell carcinoma

- Lymphoepithelial carcinoma

- Sialoblastoma

- Soft tissue tumors

- Hemangioma

- Hematolymphoid tumors

- Hodgkin lymphoma

- Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

- Extranodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma

- Secondary tumors (i.e. a tumor which has metastasized to the salivary gland from a distant location)

Others, not included in the WHO classification above, include:

- Intraosseous (central) salivary gland tumors

- Hybrid tumors (i.e. a tumor displaying combined forms of histologic tumor types)

- Hybrid carcinoma

- Others

- Others

- Keratocystoma

- Sialolipoma

Pain is the most common symptom, followed by either sensorineural or conductive hearing loss, tinnitus or drainage (discharge). A mass lesion may be present, but it is often slow growing.

This tumor only affects the outer 1/3 to 1/2 of the external auditory canal as a primary site. If this area is not involved, the diagnosis should be questioned. The most common tumor type is ceruminous adenoid cystic carcinoma and ceruminous adenocarcinoma, NOS.

Benign and borderline variants of this neoplasm are rare, and most cases are malignant.

These tumors may have a worse prognosis than serous tumors.

The treatment is simple excision and exclusion of a malignant neoplasm.

Salivary gland tumours usually present as a lump or swelling in the affected gland which may or may not have been present for a long time. The lump may be accompanied by symptoms of duct blockage (e.g. xerostomia). Usually, in their early stages it is not possible to distinguish a benign tumour from a malignant one. One of the key differentiating symptoms of a malignant growth is nerve involvement. For example signs of facial nerve damage (e.g facial palsy) are associated with malignant parotid tumours. Facial pain, and paraesthesia are also very often associated with a malignant tumours. Other red flag symptoms which may suggest malignancy and warrant further investigation are fixation of the lump to the overlying skin, ulceration and induration of the mucosa.

Myoepitheliomas are diagnosed from an examination of the tissue by a pathologist.

They are classified by histology as benign; however, as with many brain tumors, their treatment can be difficult, and significant morbidities are associated with both the tumor and treatment.

- Headache (obstructive hydrocephalus)

- Hypersomnia

- Myxedema

- post surgical weight gain

- Polydipsia

- Polyuria (diabetes insipidus)

- Vision loss (bitemporal hemianopia)

- Vomiting

- often occurs post treatment

- Growth hormone (GH) insufficiency, caused by the reduction in growth hormone (GH) production. Symptoms include:

- Stunted growth and delayed puberty (in children)

- General fatigue, loss of muscle mass and tone (in adults)

- Pituitary insufficiency

- often occurs to some degree because craniopharyngiomas develop in the area of the pituitary stalk, which can affect the function of the pituitary gland.

- Reduction in prolactin production. This is very uncommon and occurs with severe pituitary insufficiency.

- Large pituitary tumors can paradoxically elevate blood prolactin levels due to the "stalk effect." This elevation occurs as a result of the compression of the pituitary stalk, which interferes with the brain's control of prolactin production.

- In premenopausal women, elevated prolactin can lead to reduction or loss of menstrual periods and/or breast milk production (galactorrhea).

- With stalk effect, prolactin levels are usually only slightly elevated, as opposed to prolactinomas in which the prolactin level is usually very high.

- Diabetes insipidus. This occurs due to the absence of a posterior pituitary hormone called antidiuretic hormone (ADH). Symptoms include:

- Excessive thirst

- Excessive urination

- Adrenal insufficiency. This occurs because of a reduction in ACTH production, a reduction in cortisol. In severe cases, it can be fatal. Symptoms include:

- Fatigue

- Low blood pressure

- Electrolyte abnormalities

Myoepithelioma of the head and neck, also myoepithelioma, is a salivary gland tumour of the head and neck that is usually benign.

As the name suggests, it consists of myoepithelial cells. Classically, they are found in the parotid gland or palate. A similar tumor type may be found in the tongue, referred to as ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumor.

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma, abbreviated EMCa, is a rare malignant tumour that typically arises in a salivary gland and consists of both an epithelial and myoepithelial component. They are predominantly found in the parotid gland

and represent approximately 1% of salivary gland tumours.

Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma, often abbreviated PLGA, is a rare, asymptomatic, slow-growing malignant salivary gland tumor. It is most commonly found in the palate.

The name of the tumor derives from the fact that:

- It has a varied microscopic architectural appearance, i.e. it is "polymorphous".

- It is non-aggressive when compared to other oral cavity tumors, i.e. it is a "low-grade" tumor.

- It forms glands, i.e. it is an "adenocarcinoma".

It affects the minor salivary glands in the area between the hard and the soft palate. Male to female ratio is 3:1, and the average age is 56 years.

Typically, they are cystic neoplasms with polypoid masses that protrude into the cyst. On microscopic pathological examination, they are composed of cells with clear cytoplasm (that contains glycogen) and "hob nail" cells (from which the glycogen has been secreted). The pattern may be glandular, papillary or solid.

Bronchial adenomas are adenomas in the bronchi. They may cause carcinoid syndrome, a type of paraneoplastic syndrome.

Hidradenoma (also known as acrospiroma, from "akral ""peripheral"" + spiroma ""epithelial tumor of sweat gland") refers to a benign adnexal tumor of the apical sweat gland. Another name for Hidradenoma is Cystadenoma and Hydrocystadenomas. These are 1–3 cm translucent blue cystic nodules.It usually presents as a single, small skin-colored lesion, and is considered distinct from the closely related poroma. Hidradenomas are often sub-classified based on subtle histologic differences, for example:

- clear-cell hidradenoma or acrospiroma

- nodular hidradenoma or acrospiroma

- solid-cystic hidradenoma

Discussion of sweat gland tumors can be difficult and confusing due to the complex classification and redundant terminology used to describe the same tumors. For example, acrospiroma and hidradenoma are synonymous, and sometimes the term "acrospiroma" is used to generally describe benign sweat gland tumors. In addition, a single lesion may contain a mixture of cell-types. There has also been a change in understanding about how tumors that were previously believed to strictly derive from specific sweat gland types may, in fact, derive from both eccrine "or" apocrine glands.

Hidradenomas are by definition benign, with malignant transformation very rare. When tumors show malignant characteristics, they are known as hidradenocarcinoma. Surgical excision is usually curative and local recurrences are rare, although malignant tumors may metastasize.

Sebaceous lymphadenoma is a tissue diagnosis, e.g. salivary gland biopsy.

It may be confused with a number of benign and malignant neoplasms, including Warthin tumour, mucoepidermoid carcinoma and sebaceous lymphadenocarcinoma.

PLGAs consist of a monomorphous cell population that has a varied histologic morphology.

Microscopically, its histology can be confused with an adenoid cystic carcinoma and a pleomorphic adenoma.

See Hepatocellular adenoma. Hepatic adenomas are a rare benign tumour of the liver, which may present with hepatomegaly or other symptoms.