Can You Remove Salivary Gland Cancer?

Salivary gland cancer of the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands is classified into the following stages:

1. Stage 0 (carcinoma in situ):
   • Abnormal cells are discovered in the lining of the salivary ducts or small sacs that comprise the salivary gland.
   • These abnormal cells have the potential to develop into cancer and spread to nearby normal tissue.
2. Stage I:
   • Cancer is confirmed in stage I.
   • The tumor is only in the salivary gland and is ≤ 2 cm in size.
3. Stage II:
   • The tumor in stage II is only in the salivary gland but is larger than 2 cm and not larger than 4 cm.
4. Stage III: In stage III, one of the following is true:
   • The tumor is larger than 4 cm, and/or cancer has spread to soft tissue around the salivary gland.
   • The tumor is any size, and cancer may have spread to soft tissue around the salivary gland.
   • Cancer has spread to one lymph node on the same side of the head or neck as the tumor.
   • The lymph node is 3 cm or smaller, and cancer has not grown outside the lymph node.
5. Stage IV: Stage IV is divided into stages IVA, IVB, and IVC as follows
   • Stage IVA:
     • The tumor can be any size and has the potential to spread to the soft tissue surrounding the affected gland.
     • Cancer has spread to a single lymph node on the same side as the tumor, and the lymph node is larger than 3 cm but not larger than 6 cm.
     • Cancer has spread to more than one lymph node on either or both sides of the body, and the lymph nodes are not larger than 6 cm.
     • Cancer has spread to the skin, jawbone, ear canal, and/or facial nerve, and it may have spread to one or more lymph nodes on one or both sides of the body. The lymph nodes are no more than 6 cm in size.
   • Stage IVB:
     • The tumor can be any size and has the potential to spread to the soft tissue surrounding the affected gland.
     • Cancer has spread to a lymph node, measuring more than 6 cm in diameter.
     • Cancer has spread to the base of the skull and/or carotid artery, and it may have spread to one or more lymph nodes of any size on either or both sides of the body.
   • Stage IVC:
     • The tumor could be any size and could have spread to the soft tissue surrounding the affected gland, skin, jawbone, ear canal, facial nerve, the base of the skull or carotid artery, or one or more lymph nodes on either or both sides of the body.
     • Cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

A scan and/or biopsy is usually used to diagnose the growth.

The best treatment plan will then be determined by a doctor. The most common treatment option for both benign and malignant salivary gland tumors is surgical removal, which may be combined with other forms of therapy.

• Stages I and II (early stage):
  • For tumors with high-grade (aggressive) pathology, surgery to remove the tumor is combined with lymph node removal.
  • Depending on the surgical pathology, radiation with or without chemotherapy may be administered following surgery.
  • Cancer that can be completely removed with clear margins, no lymph node or nerve spread, and a low pathology grade is frequently treated solely with surgery.
  • For people who are unable to undergo surgery, radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy may be considered.
• Stages III, IVA, and IVB (advanced stage):
  • Tumor removal surgery is combined with neck dissection to remove lymph nodes. Following surgery, radiation therapy may be combined with chemotherapy.
  • For people who are unable to undergo surgery, radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy may be considered.
• Stage IVC (metastatic spread):
  • Surgery may be considered in some cases to alleviate symptoms.
  • Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be considered in some cases to help with symptoms.

Salivary gland cancer has a good prognosis if detected and treated early. Salivary gland tumors are rare and, for the most part, benign (noncancerous).

According to the American Cancer Society, salivary gland tumors occur at a rate of approximately 1 case per 100,000 people in the United States each year. The vast majority of salivary gland tumors are harmless (not cancer). These are rarely fatal and are unlikely to spread. Benign tumors can remain unchanged for years.

The majority of people will survive cancer if it is detected at an early stage. Get plenty of rest and eat a healthy diet while you're recovering. Clinical trials are underway for new treatment options.

Survival rates for salivary gland cancer are affected by various factors, the most important of which are tumor stage and tumor type.

Five-year survival rates are as follows depending on the extent of spread of cancer:

• Local (within the saliva gland): 94 percent
• Local + Regional (spread to the neck lymph nodes): 66 percent
• Distant (spread to other parts of the body): 36 percent
• All stages: 72 percent