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In this Article

• What is salivary gland cancer?
• What increases the risk of salivary gland cancer?
• What are symptoms and signs of salivary gland cancer?
• What exams and tests are used to detect and diagnose salivary gland cancer?
• What is the prognosis for salivary gland cancer?
• What are the stages of salivary gland cancer?
• What is the treatment for salivary gland cancer?
• How does staging affect treatment options?
• Where can people find more information about salivary gland cancer?
• Patient Discussions: Salivary Gland Cancer - Symptoms
• Salivary Gland Cancer Glossary
• Salivary Gland Cancer Index
• Find a local Oncologist in your town

How does staging affect treatment options?

Stage I salivary gland cancer

Treatment for stage I salivary gland cancer depends on whether the cancer is low-grade (slow growing) or high-grade (fast growing).

If the cancer is low-grade, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery with or without radiation therapy.



• Fast neutron radiation therapy.

If the cancer is high-grade, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery with or without radiation therapy.



• A clinical trial of chemotherapy.



• A clinical trial of a new local therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage I salivary gland cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Stage II salivary gland cancer

Treatment for stage II salivary gland cancer depends on whether the cancer is low-grade (slow growing) or high-grade (fast growing).

If the cancer is low-grade, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery with or without radiation therapy.



• Radiation therapy.



• Chemotherapy.

If the cancer is high-grade, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery with or without radiation therapy.



• Fast neutron or photon-beam radiation therapy.



• A clinical trial of radiation therapy and/or radiosensitizers.



• A clinical trial of chemotherapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage II salivary gland cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Stage III salivary gland cancer

Treatment for stage III salivary gland cancer depends on whether the cancer is low-grade (slow growing) or high-grade (fast growing).

If the cancer is low-grade, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery with or without lymphadenectomy. Radiation therapy may also be given after surgery.



• Radiation therapy.



• Fast neutron radiation therapy to lymph nodes with cancer.



• Chemotherapy.



• A clinical trial of fast neutron radiation therapy to the tumor.



• A clinical trial of chemotherapy.

If the cancer is high-grade, treatment may include the following:

• Surgery with or without lymphadenectomy. Radiation therapy may also be given after surgery.



• Fast neutron radiation therapy.



• Radiation therapy as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.



• A clinical trial of radiation therapy and/or radiosensitizers.



• A clinical trial of chemotherapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage III salivary gland cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Stage IV salivary gland cancer

Treatment of stage IV salivary gland cancer may include the following:

• Fast neutron or photon-beam radiation therapy.



• A clinical trial of chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage IV salivary gland cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment options for recurrent salivary gland cancer

Treatment of recurrent salivary gland cancer may include the following:

• Radiation therapy.



• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with recurrent salivary gland cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.