Salivary and Parotid Gland Cancer

Question 1

Symptoms

Answer

Symptoms of salivary gland tumors may include the following:

Chronic pain, or a lump, in the neck, jaw, mouth or cheek
Numbness or weakness in the face
Difficulty opening your mouth or swallowing

Question 2

Diagnosis

Answer

To determine if you have a salivary gland tumor and whether it is cancerous, we will conduct various tests, including MRIs, CT scans and other imaging studies. A biopsy, or removal of a small piece of tissue, is also needed. Afterwards, our experienced pathologists, who specialize in head and neck cancers, use various laboratory tests to determine if the tumor is cancerous and what type of cancer it is.

More than two dozen types of cancer can affect the salivary glands, including mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and adenocarcinomas. Your treatment will depend, in part, on the type of cancer you have and how advanced it is. Diagnostic accuracy is essential, and our pathologists specialize in determining which subtype of cancer you have.

Question 3

Surgery

Answer

The type of surgery used to treat salivary gland cancers depends on where the cancer is located.

Parotid gland surgery: The parotid glands are the largest salivary glands. If the cancer only affects the outside part of the parotid gland (known as the superficial lobe), then the surgeon will only need to remove that lobe. However, if the cancer has spread throughout the parotid gland, then the entire gland will need to be removed along with any nearby tissues where the cancer has grown.
Submandibular and sublingual gland surgery: These glands are much smaller than the parotid glands. When cancer is in either a submandibular or sublingual gland, the surgeon will typically remove the entire gland.
Minor salivary gland surgery: The surgery will depend on which minor salivary glands are affected. The surgeon will remove the cancer along with some nearby tissue.

Our head and neck surgical oncologists are experts at operating on the face and neck. Our primary goal is to remove the cancerous tumor, along with a small amount of tissue around it to prevent the cancer from coming back. But our surgeons also aim to prevent any functional losses after the surgery. The areas around the salivary gland contain various nerves and structures that you use to smile and close your eyes. Our surgeons are highly experienced at removing cancerous tumors and tissue while taking care to avoid harming facial nerves and structures whenever possible.

UChicago Medicine plastic and reconstructive surgeons work closely with our head and neck surgeons. Our surgical team is highly experienced in facial and oral cavity reconstruction to restore any speech, eating and swallowing function, as well as any cosmetic concerns you may have.

Question 4

Radiation Therapy

Answer

Radiation therapy may be used to remove any remaining cancer cells after surgery. Our goal is to target the radiation to the precise location of the salivary gland cancer and to use the lowest dose possible to avoid negatively affecting facial nerves and structures unaffected by the cancer.

Question 5

Chemotherapy and Other Drug Therapies

Answer

Some patients with salivary gland cancer, such as those with advanced or recurring cancers, may benefit from drug therapies, including novel therapies offered through clinical trials.

Chemotherapy, or cancer-fighting drugs, may be recommended either alone or with radiation.
Immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, can help the body’s own immune system fight the cancer.
Targeted drug therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies, block certain proteins in the body that help cancer cells grow.
Hormone therapies may be recommended for some salivary gland cancers. These experimental treatments are not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Question 6

Speech Pathology and Other Rehabilitation Services

Answer

Our speech pathologists, nutritionists and other rehabilitation team members get involved in your care from the very beginning and will work with you for months or years post-treatment. The goal is to reduce and reverse any treatment side effects. For instance, by identifying potential speech and swallowing problems you may develop during or after treatment, our speech pathologists can identify ways to prevent or lessen these issues.

Question 7

Supportive Services

Answer

Our dedicated supportive oncology program provides a range of supportive care services to patients and their families, including mental health counseling, social work services and more.