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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffTreatment for salivary gland cancer usually involves surgery, with or without radiation therapy. Your treatment plan should be tailored specifically for you by a team of doctors including head and neck surgeons (otolaryngologists), cancer specialists (oncologists) and doctors who specialize in treating cancer with radiation (radiation oncologists).
Surgery
If the cancer hasn't spread outside the salivary gland, and if the tumor is small and low grade, surgery alone may be all you need to remove the cancer.
Removing a tumor from the salivary glands can be complicated because several important nerves are located in and around these glands. For example, a nerve that controls facial movement runs through the parotid gland. Complications of removing a tumor from the parotid gland may include nerve damage, which can affect movement in your face. Nerves near the submandibular and sublingual glands include those that control tongue movement, feeling and taste. If the cancer has spread outside the salivary gland, some of those nerves may need to be removed.
Your surgeon may need to remove lymph nodes in your neck (neck dissection) to see if the cancer has spread. In addition to removing the lymph nodes, neck dissection may involve removal of other muscles and nerves in your neck, as well. Complications from neck dissection may include ear numbness, weakness in your lower lip and weakness in raising your arm above your head.
Physical therapy
You may need physical therapy to help you overcome complications from surgery, such as difficulty speaking, chewing or swallowing. A dietitian can help you choose foods that are suitable for you if you've lost some of your ability to chew and swallow. You'll also receive instructions on how to learn to swallow again.
Reconstructive therapy
If a large amount of bone or tissue is taken during surgery, you may need reconstructive surgery. The goal of reconstructive surgery is to improve your appearance and to help you adjust to difficulties you may have with chewing, swallowing, speaking or breathing. You may need grafts of skin or tissue from other parts of your body to rebuild areas in your mouth, throat or jaw. You may also need to have a dental prosthesis implanted to replace a part of your jaw removed during surgery.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy destroys cancer cells using high-energy radiation. Radiation for salivary gland cancer usually comes from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy).
If the tumor is large or high grade, if the cancer has spread outside the salivary glands or if your doctor is concerned that other areas may be affected, radiation after surgery may be part of your treatment. If a tumor cannot be removed by surgery, radiation alone may be used to treat salivary gland cancer.
Side effects from radiation to the head and neck are usually temporary and may include changes in skin color and texture (similar to a suntan or sunburn), dry mouth, sore throat, hoarseness, problems swallowing, loss of or changes in taste, or fatigue.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is not used as a standard treatment for salivary gland cancer, although researchers are investigating its effectiveness in treating this condition.
