Treatment of Recurrent Major Salivary Gland Cancer

The prognosis for any patient with progressing or relapsing salivary gland cancer is poor, regardless of cell type or stage. Selecting further treatment depends on many factors, including the specific cancer, prior treatment, site of recurrence, and individual patient considerations. Fast neutron-beam radiation therapy is superior to conventional radiation therapy using x-rays and may be curative in selected patients with recurrent disease.[1]

Patients with inoperable, unresectable, or recurrent malignant salivary gland tumors treated with fast neutron-beam radiation therapy have better disease-free survival and overall survival than patients treated with conventional x-ray radiation therapy.[2-5] Clinical trials are appropriate and should be considered when possible.