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Updated: May 27, 2026
Retroductal Submandibular Gland Instillation and Localized Fractionated Irradiation in a Rat Model of Salivary Hypofunction
Published on: April 24, 2016
Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locoregionally advanced salivary gland malignancies
Lewis Rosenberg1, Mark Weissler, D Neil Hayes
1Department of Radiation Oncology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Background:
Locoregionally advanced salivary gland malignancies have a poor prognosis despite aggressive therapy. Herein we report our experience in treating high-risk salivary gland malignancies with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT).
Methods:
Medical records of 15 patients with salivary gland malignancies treated with CRT at our institution between 1997 and 2010 were analyzed.
Results:
All patients had high-risk characteristics: 80% were stage IV, 54% were ≥ N2, and 47% were unresectable and were treated with definitive CRT. At 2 years, overall survival (OS) was 67%, disease-free survival (DFS) was 44%, and local control was 76%. There were no treatment-related deaths, and patients experienced expected acute side effects.
Conclusion:
CRT for salivary gland malignancies has acceptable toxicity, CRT is proven beneficial for many other cancers, and some salivary gland malignancies are clinically responsive to chemotherapy. CRT, therefore, should be considered for treatment of high-risk salivary gland malignancies.
