The cancer has spread to other parts of the body. It may come back in the salivary gland or in another part of the body. Treatment option overview How cancer of the salivary gland is treated There are treatments for all patients with cancer of the salivary gland. Surgery is often used to remove cancers of the salivary gland. Depending on where the cancer is and how far it has spread, a doctor may need to cut out tissue around the cancer.
Radiation therapy is also a common treatment of cancer of the salivary gland.
A special type of radiation therapy using tiny particles called neutrons has been shown to be effective in treating some salivary gland cancers. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy for cancer of the salivary gland is still being tested in clinical trials.