Benign Tumors of the Parotid Gland

Benign tumors (BTs) of salivary glands occur mostly in the parotid gland, and most of them are pleomorphic adenomas (PAs), most commonly presenting in the superficial lobe. Warthin’s tumor is the second most common benign lesion. The tumor is more common in men than women and is known to be bilateral in 10–15% of cases. It has been linked to smoking and presents after the fourth decade of life. Oncocytomas are rare tumors that occur in older patients. These lesions are firm and identified using electron microscopy. Monomorphic adenomas may feel like PAs, but lack the pleomorphic features. These slow-growing lesions are likely to occur also in the minor salivary glands. This chapter discusses the incidence, pathology, clinical picture, investigations, and management of BTs of the parotid gland, including pleomorphic adenoma, Warthin’s tumor, basal cell adenoma, canalicular adenoma, myoepithelioma, and cystadenoma.