Disclaimer

Although we take care to ensure accuracy, Macmillan Cancer Support does not accept liability for the information and materials provided or referenced in Ask an Expert or for any errors or omissions in them, or for third-party information or services such as other websites we may link to. The information and materials provided or referenced in Ask an Expert are for information purposes only and are not intended to be legal, financial or medical advice or opinions. If you need more details on your rights, please contact a financial, legal or other appropriate adviser.

We recommend that you consult your doctor if you are concerned about your health. Any You should not rely on any information and materials provided or referenced in Ask an Expert including by our Experts as they are not a replacement for advice, diagnosis or treatment from your medical team, and our Experts cannot provide a second opinion to that of your medical team.

Your question can be read by others – so please don't post your contact details or any other information that could personally identify you. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Community Guidelines for more details.

Parotid gland query

Daisychains
  • 1 reply
  • 37 subscribers
  • 118 views

Hi. I was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer in November and begin radiotherapy next week. During the discovery process the PET scan picked up the left side parotid gland and although both lung consultants said it was very tiny and doesnt look like anything they referred me to ENT for an ultra sound and FNA.  The following week I saw an ENT assistant who informed me the lab could not make a diagnosis and recommended surgery ‘just in case’. I was not happy with the lack of care, prognosis and options offered. I have since got an MRI and a core needle aspiration booked.

I am interested to know if a contrast MRI and a core needle aspiration can give a more accurate diagnosis as I want to avoid surgery if it is not necessary. 

If it is helpful, the lung tumour is right upper lobe 12mm early stage 1 and hasn't spread.  The parotid gland is very small, causing no problems and is on the left side.

Thank you for any advice you can offer.

  • Hi Daisychains,

    Thanks for getting in touch and a warm welcome to the Online Community. I am glad to see you are a member of our Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Forum and I hope you find it informative. My name is Donna, I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the support line.

    It sounds like your referral to ENT has caused a lot of distress on top of your diagnosis of stage 1 lung cancer. I am sorry to hear that you are not happy with the care, prognosis and options offered by ENT.

    A fine needle aspiration (FNA) and a core needle aspiration (also known as a core biopsy) are both types of biopsies. The needle used for a core biopsy is wider than that used for FNA. Because of this, a core biopsy gathers more tissue and can provide more information about the suspicious area than FNA can. An MRI-guided core biopsy is thought to be a minimally invasive procedure whilst being more accurate than an FNA.

    It is understandable that you would want to avoid unnecessary surgery. If the upcoming procedure fails to give the necessary clarity of whether the lump is benign or malignant, you could consider asking for a second opinion.

    I hope this information has been useful. If you have any further questions or require further explanation, please feel free to recontact us. If you would like to talk things over you can give us a call or contact us on our web-chat platform.

    Take care,

     

    Donna


    Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

    Ref: DW/JL

Help us do whatever it takes, because we’ve never been needed more.

© Macmillan Cancer Support 2025 © Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland. A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales company number 2400969. Isle of Man company number 4694F. Registered office: 3rd Floor, Bronze Building, The Forge, 105 Sumner Street, London, SE1 9HZ. VAT no: 668265007