Encyclopedia of Radiation Oncology

2013 Edition
| Editors: Luther W. Brady, Theodore E. Yaeger

Salivary Gland Cancer

Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85516-3_59
How to cite

Definition/Description

Salivary gland cancer is a rare malignancy that can occur in the major or minor salivary glands. Most salivary gland cancers occur in the parotid gland and present as a painless mass. Salivary cancers are a histologically diverse group of tumors with varying prognosis and treatment according to grade, histology, tumor extent, and stage. Treatment is primarily surgical, with postoperative radiotherapy reserved for patients with poor prognostic factors. Radiotherapy alone may be used for the treatment of inoperable tumors. Chemotherapy is not currently used in the initial management of stage I–III salivary gland cancer, but is commonly used to treat recurrent and metastatic salivary gland tumors.

Anatomy

The salivary glands consist of three paired major salivary glands: the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands as well as minor salivary glands.

The parotid glands are the largest salivary glands. They are situated posterior and superficial to the ramus of...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. Barton J, Slevin NJ, Gleave EN (1992) Radiotherapy for pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 22:925–928PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Carlson ER, Ord RA (2009) Textbook and color atlas of salivary gland pathology: diagnosis and management. Wiley, AmesGoogle Scholar
  3. Edge SB, Byrd DR, Compton CC et al (eds) (2009) AJCC cancer staging manual, 7th edn. Springer, New YorkGoogle Scholar
  4. Garden A (2010) The salivary glands. In: Cox JD, Ang KK (eds) Radiation oncology, 9th edn. Mosby/Elsevier, PhiladelphiaGoogle Scholar
  5. Horn-Ross PL, Ljung BM, Morrow M (1997) Environmental factors and the risk of salivary gland cancer. Epidemiology 8:414–419PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Lalami Y, Vereecken P, Dequanter D et al (2006) Salivary gland carcinomas, paranasal sinus cancers and melanoma of the head and neck: an update about rare but challenging tumors. Curr Opin Oncol 18:258–265PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Laurie SA (2010) In: Basow DS (ed) Salivary gland tumors: epidemiology, pathogenesis, evaluation, and staging. UpToDate, WalthamGoogle Scholar
  8. Piccirillo JF, Costas I, Reichman ME (2007) Cancers of the head and neck. In: Ries LAG, Young JL, Keel GE et al. (eds) SEER survival monograph: cancer survival among adults: U.S. SEER program, 1988–2001, patient and tumor characteristics. National Cancer Institute, SEER Program, NIH, BethesdaGoogle Scholar
  9. Swanson GM, Burns PB (1997) Cancers of the salivary gland: workplace risks among women and men. Ann Epidemiol 7:369–374PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Terhaard CH (2008) Salivary Glands. In: Halperin EC, Perez CA, Brady LW (eds) Principles and practice of radiation oncology, 5th edn. Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkens, PhiladelphiaGoogle Scholar
  11. Terhaard CH, Lubsen H, Rasch CR, Dutch head and neck oncology cooperative group et al (2005) The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of malignant salivary gland tumors. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 61:103–111PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Center for Advanced Radiotherapy TechnologiesDepartment of Radiation Oncology, San Diego Rebecca and John Moores Cancer Center, University of CaliforniaLa JollaUSA