|
The treatment options for salivary gland cancer depend largely
on the stage (extent) of the cancer, as well as the grade of the cancer
(how likely it is to grow and spread quickly) and other factors.
Stage I
If you have stage I salivary gland cancer, your doctors will
probably recommend surgery to remove the cancer and part or all of the
salivary gland.
Adjuvant radiation therapy may be recommended after surgery if
you have an intermediate- or high-grade cancer or an adenoid cystic
carcinoma, if the cancer could not be completely removed, or if the
edges of the removed specimen contain cancer cells (indicating that
some cancer may have been left behind).
Stage II
Stage II salivary gland cancers are larger but are still
confined within the salivary gland. They are also treated mainly with
surgery, but it may be more extensive (covering a wider area) than
for stage I cancers. The surgeon may also remove lymph nodes in your
neck on the same side to see if they contain cancer.
Radiation therapy may be given after surgery if your cancer is
intermediate or high grade, if the cancer could not be completely
removed, or if the edges of the removed specimen contain cancer cells.
There is a greater chance that some cancer may have been left behind
with stage II cancers.
Stage III
These cancers are even larger and/or have started to grow
outside of the salivary gland. Doctors generally recommend more
extensive surgery (removing the gland containing the tumor, nearby
tissues, and all lymph nodes in your neck on the same side) for these
cancers if it is possible, combined with radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy may be added as well, although this is still being
studied.
Radiation therapy (with or without chemotherapy) may be used
as the main treatment if surgery is not a good option (for example, if
surgical removal of the cancer would cause serious problems with your
eating, speech, or appearance).
Stage IV
Because of the size and extent of spread of stage IV salivary
gland cancer, cure is usually not possible, particularly if the cancer
has spread to distant organs. Radiation therapy to the head and neck is
often used as the main treatment in this situation to try to shrink the
tumor(s) and relieve pain, bleeding, or other symptoms from the cancer.
This may be combined with chemotherapy. If you have metastases,
chemotherapy may shrink or slow the growth of the cancer for a time and
may help relieve your symptoms.
These cancers can be hard to treat effectively, so taking
part in a clinical trial of newer treatments may be a good option.
Recurrent salivary gland cancer
If your cancer returns after treatment, the choices available
to you depend on the location and the extent of the cancer and what
treatment was used the first time around. It is important to understand
the goal of any further treatment -- whether it is to try to cure the
cancer or to help relieve symptoms -- as well as the likelihood of
benefits and risks.
If the cancer is thought to be resectable, surgery is usually
the treatment of choice when possible. This is often followed by
radiation therapy.
If the cancer returns in the area where it started but is not
resectable, radiation therapy is often used. Chemotherapy may be used
along with the radiation or by itself (especially if radiation therapy
was already used as part of the initial treatment).
Cancers that recur in distant parts of the body are usually
treated with chemotherapy. In selected cases, other treatments such as
surgery or radiation therapy may be used to help relieve symptoms from
the spread of the cancer. Because these cancers can be hard to treat,
clinical trials of newer treatment approaches may be a good option.
Last Medical Review: 02/10/2009
Last Revised: 02/10/2009
|
