Role of Radiation Treatment for Cancer of the Salivary Glands

The predominant treatment is surgery to achieve complete removal. Radiotherapy is often added to achieve the best control and is indicated when

• the margins of resection are close or positive
• tumour has been spilt
• the lesion has adverse features such as perineural, lymphatic, or vascular invasion.
• lymph nodes are involved

Ordinarily radiotherapy treatment fields include the whole area of the salivary gland but do not deliberately target the node areas unless they are shown to be involved at the time of surgery.

How to Make a Referral

Patients may be referred to one of the radiation oncologists in the Site Group either through the departmental referral process or by contacting one of the physicians directly.

This page was last updated August 18th, 2010 at 7:48am.