TriangleFOR PATIENTS · SOURCE READING
Radiation therapy
Source: Salivary Gland Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: March 14, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
Context: Treatment Option Overview / The following types of treatment are used:
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing.
External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the area of the body with cancer.Special types of external radiation may be used to treat some salivary gland tumors. These include:
Source links and citations
External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the area of the body with cancer.Special types of external radiation may be used to treat some salivary gland tumors. These include:
Fast-neutron radiation therapy: Fast-neutron radiation therapy is a type of high-energy external radiation therapy. A radiation therapy machine aims neutrons (tiny, invisible particles) at the cancer cells to kill them. Fast-neutron radiation therapy uses a higher-energy radiation than the x-ray type of radiation therapy. This allows the radiation therapy to be given in fewer treatments.
External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the area of the body with cancer.Special types of external radiation may be used to treat some salivary gland tumors. These include:
Photon-beam radiation therapy: Photon-beam radiation therapy is a type of external radiation therapy that reaches deep tumors with high-energy x-rays made by a machine called a linear accelerator. This can be delivered as hyperfractionated radiation therapy, in which the total dose of radiation is divided into small doses, and the treatments are given more than once a day.
Source links and citations
External radiation therapy is used to treat salivary gland cancer and may also be used as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
Source links and citations
Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice