Salivary gland cancer treatment at GenesisCare

At GenesisCare we diagnose and treat a wide range of cancers, and we understand that this can be a very worrying time. Our diagnosis services are world-class, and our commitment is to give you the answers you need, as quickly as possible. It’s important to remember that symptoms can often be caused by other conditions, not salivary gland cancer, but whatever your diagnosis we can make sure you get the expert care you need and without delay.

If you’re concerned about salivary gland cancer symptoms, we offer fast access to specialist salivary gland cancer diagnosis and expert consultants who specialise in conditions affecting areas in the head and neck including the salivary glands, mouth and throat. They’ll assess your symptoms and, if necessary, refer you for diagnostic tests such as fine needle aspiration, MRI scans, CT scanning or an ultrasound scan. You may also need to see one of our speech and language specialists (SLT).  

The most common symptom of salivary gland cancer is a lump or swelling on the side of the face, next to the ear or under the jawbone. Other signs may include: 

• A lump or swelling in the mouth or neck 
• Drooping on one side of the face (facial palsy) 
• Pain or discomfort around the area of swelling 
• Swallowing difficulties 
• Earache 
• Numbness in part of your face  
• Difficulty opening your mouth fully 

Most salivary gland tumours are benign (non-cancerous), so having one or more of these symptoms doesn’t mean you have cancer. If you have any concerns, you should seek medical advice or book an appointment through our Rapid Access Head and Neck Service.

There are three main pairs of salivary glands – parotid, sublingual and submandibular – and over 600 minor salivary glands in the mouth and throat. According to Cancer Research UK, there are around 720 new cases of salivary gland cancer each year in the UK, but early diagnosis and treatment can mean a positive outcome for most. 

We are the UK’s leading specialist private cancer care provider. By choosing us, you can be reassured that your treatment will be managed by a team of specialists working together, with you, to decide the best personalised care plan for your diagnosis. 

It is our commitment to offer world-class care to every patient with cancer.

There are a number of options of treatment available for salivary gland cancers at GenesisCare, such as: 

• Surgery – removal of the cancerous cells and surrounding tissues. This may also include reconstructive surgery 
• Radiotherapy – high-energy radiation beams which are targeted at the cancer cells 
• Chemotherapy – anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs which destroy the cancerous cells

Our consultants include expert surgeons from both local and nationally renowned hospitals and will work together with other cancer specialists to decide the best course of treatment for you. If your consultant recommends salivary gland surgery, this can be arranged conveniently at one of our partner hospitals. You can then continue your other treatments at GenesisCare. 

There are various procedures for salivary gland surgery, and your surgeon will recommend the most appropriate technique depending on the size and stage of your tumour.  

Most people who have salivary gland cancer surgery will only have the affected gland removed. In some cases, where the cancer can spread into surrounding soft tissue or bone, reconstructive surgery may be required. We have leading surgeons who perform reconstructive surgery to restore any soft tissue or bone that is removed during salivary gland cancer surgery. We understand that reconstructive surgery can alter your appearance and the way you feel about yourself, and our teams are committed to supporting you through these changes. 

Our team also includes specialists such as speech and language therapists and dietitians who may be involved in preparing you for surgery and helping with your recovery and rehabilitation. 

No treatment is without side effects. Your doctor will explain these to you, together with the ways your treatment plan and supportive care can help manage or minimise these.

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a modern radiotherapy technique that directs beams of radiation in an arc across the treatment area. Together with surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT), it’s possible to precisely target areas of cancer, adjusting the beam and intensity of the radiation dose to allow for movements in the body and avoid healthy tissues. Side effects of radiotherapy occur when healthy tissues receive radiation, so using this technique helps to limit the dose to tissues and organs surrounding the tumour. At GenesisCare, we offer VMAT wherever possible as it is widely recognised to be the highest standard of care currently available for patients needing this type of radiotherapy.

We also offer palliative VMAT radiotherapy for those living with advanced salivary gland cancer, where it has spread elsewhere in the body, to improve pain and increase mobility. We understand that fast access to palliative care is paramount and can usually provide treatment within 48 hours of a planning imaging scan. 

No treatment is without side effects. Your doctor will explain these to you start your course of radiotherapy, together with the ways your treatment plan and supportive care can help manage or minimise these.

Our centres have all received the Macmillan Quality Environment Mark to reflect the quality of care we provide for people living with cancer.

There are different types of drug treatments, also called systemic anti-cancer therapies. Our expert teams continually review and assess new treatments to make these available to GenesisCare patients as early as possible. 

Chemotherapy for salivary gland cancers
Chemotherapy uses cytotoxic (anti-cancer) drugs to destroy cancer cells. It’s not a common treatment for salivary gland cancers, but you may have it if you’re unable to have surgery or radiotherapy.  

Chemotherapy can also be delivered alongside radiotherapy to make cancerous cells more sensitive to treatment – this is called chemoradiation. You may receive chemoradiation after surgery if there is a high-risk of your cancer coming back. 

Palliative care
If your cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it’s called advanced or metastatic salivary gland cancer. At GenesisCare, you can receive palliative drug treatment for advanced salivary gland cancer, to reduce the size and progress of your cancer and ease any symptoms. 

Personalised medicine
For some advanced cancers we use specialist tests, such as liquid biopsy or genomic testing, to understand the genetic make-up of cancer cells. This helps us to identify which drugs are available to work against the particular genetic mutations in a cancer, allowing us to start effective treatment without delay.

There may also be opportunities to access clinical trials for the newest treatments for salivary gland cancer. 

Drug treatment side effects
No treatment is without side effects. Your doctor will explain these to you depending on your drug treatment, together with the ways your treatment plan and supportive care can help manage or minimise these. 

Exercise medicine is a personalised programme of carefully planned and supported physical activity that has been shown to improve outcomes for cancer patients, enhancing quality of life and limiting the impact of cancer, such as by improving strength and reducing fatigue. One of our physiotherapists specialising in exercise for people living with cancer will provide a 12-week programme tailored to your needs and supported by our dedicated GenesisCare Exercise Medicine app. They’ll work closely with you to monitor changes in your health and support you throughout the programme to help you get the best results. This is available at selected GenesisCare centres.

We also offer a wellbeing expert and holistic therapies such as counselling, acupuncture, massage and reflexology through our unique partnership with the Penny Brohn UK charity. This service is available to all salivary gland cancer patients at any of our 14 UK centres. 

Our dedicated cancer centres are convenient and easy-to-access. You can use your private medical insurance, and we’re recognised by all leading insurers.

We are proud that so many patients rate our care as excellent as we help them through their cancer journey. Find out more about the unique experiences of people who have had their cancer diagnosis or treatment at GenesisCare in our patient stories section.

• Cancer Research UK
• Macmillan Cancer Support