Parotid gland tumor. Will need surgery. Your experience at Mayo?

Update - on May 27, 2025, I went back for my 4-month PET CT scan to confirm there was no recurrence of salivary duct cancer. I had the biopsy and it is malignant salivary duct cancer. The polyp is .9 cm. in size. Has anyone else had the recurrence of the same cancer in a different part of the body? The nurse had told me at biopsy appointment if the polyp was cancerous they would kill it with 3 rounds of radiation or surgery.

I had just completed my second facial reanimation surgery and was ready to start life again when we got the call on the way home.

Catherine, I had tumor involvement in the facial nerve so a section had to be removed. I had total right side facial paralysis when I woke up from surgery. By anastomosing the ends back together during the initial surgery, my paralysis was starting to improve with increased muscle tone 5 months after surgery. By 9 months I could really start to tell that there was improvement. Nerve tissue is very slow to heal and you need patience. It is a very slow process of regaining control of muscles that had atrophied. Then there is an issue with synkinesis where the nerves healing together are not exactly the same as it was initially. So now certain muscles have different control.....like attempting to raise the eyebrow might cause the corner of my mouth to twitch. I feel that the brain figures this out slowly and I do facial muscle exercises to help. I will never be able to raise my eyebrow but I had a plastic surgery to elevate the brow. My facial appearance will never be like before surgery, but I am amazed by little improvements I still see 12 years later. Spending time outside in cold weather makes my facial muscles very stiff and slow to respond. This is just a part of the new normal, and better than being dead from cancer. I would certainly recommend a life saving surgery even though the risk of facial paralysis is there. I won't sugar coat it, it takes some real motivation to get back to your life during facial paralysis, but knowing it is temporary and there will be gradual improvement is what has gotten me though.

Catherine, I had tumor involvement in the facial nerve so a section had to be removed. I had total right side facial paralysis when I woke up from surgery. By anastomosing the ends back together during the initial surgery, my paralysis was starting to improve with increased muscle tone 5 months after surgery. By 9 months I could really start to tell that there was improvement. Nerve tissue is very slow to heal and you need patience. It is a very slow process of regaining control of muscles that had atrophied. Then there is an issue with synkinesis where the nerves healing together are not exactly the same as it was initially. So now certain muscles have different control.....like attempting to raise the eyebrow might cause the corner of my mouth to twitch. I feel that the brain figures this out slowly and I do facial muscle exercises to help. I will never be able to raise my eyebrow but I had a plastic surgery to elevate the brow. My facial appearance will never be like before surgery, but I am amazed by little improvements I still see 12 years later. Spending time outside in cold weather makes my facial muscles very stiff and slow to respond. This is just a part of the new normal, and better than being dead from cancer. I would certainly recommend a life saving surgery even though the risk of facial paralysis is there. I won't sugar coat it, it takes some real motivation to get back to your life during facial paralysis, but knowing it is temporary and there will be gradual improvement is what has gotten me though.

Thank you for replying Sue. The oncologist informed me that my scans were exceptionally clean, with no signs of cancer anywhere. It was quite emotional for me. He said all my organs are working and numbers are all normal. I go back every 3 months for scans the first year and then less as the years go by. I'm so grateful to the doctors at Mayo and their robust scheduling department.

By the way, I adore animals. After losing my cats (16 years they were sisters), I realized that I couldn't go through that pain again. I enjoy dogsitting now.

Never smoked, only second hand smoke as a child from my dad smoking at home. He died of oral SCC in 1993. As a veterinarian I have had more than average radiation exposure from restraining animals for xrays so I consider that a predisposing factor, as well as the genetic component.
That's wonderful that you are seeing improvement! Be patient and know that it will continue to improve for years. How did your recent scans go? (fingers crossed for good report)
Sue

I didn’t have my parotid fatty tumor removed at Mayo Clinic, but had it done at my local hospital done by my ear, nose, & throat specialist & a friend of mine’s husband that was the doctor….. The surgery took over six hrs. & he used electrodes affixed to my facial nerves during the surgery so he wouldn’t cut any of my nerves & that prevented any facial droop…. Very Blessed & Grateful. It’s who’s doing the surgery that counts! And mine was only a fatty tumor & it was my Daughter who noticed the lump in my throat…. My primary doc thought it was just swollen glands & gave me an antibiotic, but I then went to my ENT specialist & he diagnosed the parotid gland tumor…. I have no parotid gland on my left side & my scar in in the crease of my neck! Very Blessed…🙏❤️🎊

Thank you for your reply. It has been 5 months since my surgery and have a small amount of movement. Had you ever smoked or used nicotine prior to cancer diagnosis?

Catherine, I had tumor involvement in the facial nerve so a section had to be removed. I had total right side facial paralysis when I woke up from surgery. By anastomosing the ends back together during the initial surgery, my paralysis was starting to improve with increased muscle tone 5 months after surgery. By 9 months I could really start to tell that there was improvement. Nerve tissue is very slow to heal and you need patience. It is a very slow process of regaining control of muscles that had atrophied. Then there is an issue with synkinesis where the nerves healing together are not exactly the same as it was initially. So now certain muscles have different control.....like attempting to raise the eyebrow might cause the corner of my mouth to twitch. I feel that the brain figures this out slowly and I do facial muscle exercises to help. I will never be able to raise my eyebrow but I had a plastic surgery to elevate the brow. My facial appearance will never be like before surgery, but I am amazed by little improvements I still see 12 years later. Spending time outside in cold weather makes my facial muscles very stiff and slow to respond. This is just a part of the new normal, and better than being dead from cancer. I would certainly recommend a life saving surgery even though the risk of facial paralysis is there. I won't sugar coat it, it takes some real motivation to get back to your life during facial paralysis, but knowing it is temporary and there will be gradual improvement is what has gotten me though.