Patient's question:
My older brother said that my uncle has been experiencing facial pain symptoms for the past month. When he went to the pet hospital, the doctor only mentioned that it might be mumps and gave him an intravenous drip. After that, his condition improved somewhat, at least he wasn't in pain anymore. However, a few days later, the pain symptoms returned, so he had to go to a major hospital for a thorough examination. The results came back, and my cousin was informed that my uncle had a malignant tumor in the parotid gland.In what way can I assist: My uncle has been diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the parotid gland. What are the symptoms of this disease?
Doctor's answer:
General symptoms of malignant parotid tumors include: slow growth, hard texture, smooth or nodular surface, mobility. If the tumor involves structures outside the gland, it becomes fixed and may cause pain and facial paralysis. Malignant mixed tumors and malignant transformation of mixed tumors often originate from benign mixed tumors. They grow slowly. If the mass suddenly decreases significantly within a few months and local pain, numbness, or facial paralysis reappears, malignant transformation should be suspected. The prognosis for malignant mixed tumors is very poor, as they are prone to metastasize to the lungs, bones, and brain, and patients often die within one year of recurrence. Early treatment is recommended.