Lumps below the base of the ear may be associated with diseases such as 1st gill slit cyst, enlarged lymph nodes in the angle of the jaw, and parotid gland adenolymphoma, etc., and it is necessary to be vigilant against such diseases.
1. 1st gill slit cyst: it is caused by the abnormal development of the 1st gill groove. It manifests as a cystic mass with progressive enlargement below the back of the earlobe, with no adhesion to the surface skin, often on the deep surface of the superficial lobe of the parotid gland, partially encapsulated within the parotid gland, and adjacent to the outer temporal trunk segment of the facial nerve.
2. Enlarged lymph nodes at the angle of the mandible: the enlarged lymph nodes here may be caused by the spread of acute tonsillitis through the lymphatic channel, or it may be caused by the metastasis of malignant tumors in the head, neck and pharynx.
3. Adenolymphoma of parotid gland: it is a common benign salivary gland tumor, the vast majority of which occurs in parotid gland, and a very small number of which are found in submandibular gland. The disease is common in middle-aged and old men, patients mainly manifested as painless lump below the back of the ear, which is round or oval in touch, with smooth surface, soft texture, movable, slow growth of the tumor, long course of the disease, and small possibility of malignant transformation.
The tumor grows slowly, has a long course, and has little possibility of malignant transformation. When a lump is found under the root of the ear, there are other possibilities, and it is recommended that the patient needs to actively consult a doctor for a clear diagnosis by systematic examination.