Salivary gland cancer: symptoms, photo, forecast

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Salivary gland cancer is rare, in about 0.5-1% of patients with cancer, and affects both men and women alike. Despite the rarity, this type of cancer is especially dangerous because of poor research and asymptomatic of the first stages. What do you need to know in order to protect yourself from this disease? Let's consider in more detail

Types of salivary gland cancer

Cancer of the salivary glands is divided into types depending on the histological structure and localization.

Depending on the histology, the cancer is isolated:

• Squamous, in which an accumulation of epithelial cells is formed.
• Cylindrical cell , characterized by walks similar to glandular, with lumens where papillary outgrowths can form.
• Undifferentiated. Cancer structures are heterogeneous, resemble alveoli or other forms, for example, strands.
• Monomorfny. Cancer cells form regular glandular structures.
• Mucoepidermoid. Pathological cells form a structure with many cavities containing mucus.
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• Adenocarcinoma, which includes tumors that are glandular and papillary structures, but do not have any signs of other types of salivary gland cancer.
• Adenolymph , when cancer cells form a rounded tumor with the indicated boundaries and elastic consistency.

And also more than 5 rare species. Tumors of salivary glands are divided into benign and malignant:

• Benign tumors:
  1. Epithelial - this group includes oxyphilic and polymorphic adenoma, also monomorphic adenomas and adenolymphoma.
  2. Non-epithelial, this includes hemangioma, neurinoma and fibroma.
  3. Locally secreted - an acinocellular tumor.
• Malignant tumors:
  1. Epithelial - adenocarcinoma, adenocystic cancer of the salivary gland, epidermoid and undifferentiated carcinoma, mucoepidermoid tumor.
  2. Malignant neoplasms that form in the polymorphic adenoma.
  3. Non-epithelial, including sarcoma.
  4. Secondary metastatic neoplasm.

Cancer can affect both large and small salivary glands:

1. parotid;
2. submandibular;
3. sublingual;
4. Genus;
5. labial;
6. language;
7. molar;
8. glands of the hard and soft palate;

The picture shows the cancer of the sublingual salivary gland

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stages. Like the other cancers, the salivary gland cancer is divided into 4 stages:

1. . A tumor no larger than two centimeters is located in the salivary gland, and the lymph nodes are not affected.
2. Tumor reaches 4 cm, lymph nodes are still in order.
3. The tumor reaches six inches, can come out of the salivary gland. In lymph nodes may appear metastases up to 3 cm in size.
4. Stage 4 of the salivary gland cancer is divided into three stages.

Reasons for

The reliable reasons why salivary gland cancer develops are not yet known to science. There are studies that allow us to talk about the non-hereditary nature of the disease, since it does not occur in the immediate relatives of patients.

However, there is a correlation with the mutation of the p53 gene( located on chromosome 17), which increases the likelihood that the cancer will release metastases. The mutation of this gene was found in 67% of the studied malignant tumors( total 46).

Scientists from Italian and American universities are of the opinion that one of the reasons may be long or plentiful smoking. Thus, in adenolymphoma occurs in 87% of the studied smoking patients.

To the factors that increase the possibility of the appearance of cancer, include strong ionizing radiation. This is evidenced by studies of victims of the explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, conducted after 20 years after the disaster. Thus, studies have shown that some patients with lymphoepithelioma were exposed to radiation( 1.4%) or entered the zone of its lesion( 9.8%).

Other possible circumstances include:

• Harmful profession. For example, miners, hairdressers, metallurgists and other people whose work is closely connected with substances containing heavy metals, cement dust and similar components.
• Incorrect power. The diet with a high content of cholesterol and small fiber, vitamins, affects the salivary glands.
• Viruses. For multiple and bilateral adeno-lymphomas, it was found that cancerous cells find the mutated Epstein-Barr virus( 87% of patients).
• Hormonal failures. In cancer of the salivary gland, endogenous activity of hormones is found, and in women it is similar to that that occurs with hormone-dependent breast cancer.

Please note! These reasons are hypothetical, and so far scientists have no common opinion.

Symptoms and signs

Cancer of the salivary gland is dangerous because in the initial stages it often happens asymptomatically. As the tumor grows, and sometimes along with its appearance, the patient marks numbness of the facial muscles from the side of the localization of the disease.

Further symptoms look like this:

• Pain. Pain sensations can have different intensity and spread to any area of ​​the head.
• Swelling of the gland in the site of tumor localization. The patient can note the feeling of bursting from the inside, even groping for the tumor with the tongue.

In the last stages, there may appear a variety of symptoms: from pain in the lungs to hearing loss, which depends on the metastasis of the cancer.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of cancer begins with a doctor's visit and an anamnesis. Having evaluated the symptoms, the doctor is obliged to perform oropharyngoscopy, that is, to look at the state of the pharynx and oral cavity. Then he palpates the salivary glands and cervical lymph nodes.

If there are concerns about cancer, the doctor will prescribe the hardware studies:

• neck ultrasound;
• biopsy;
• orthopantomography to see how the process has spread;
• MRI from the skull to the clavicles to evaluate metastasis;

Treatment of

Treatment of salivary gland cancer depends on its location, type and stage. At the moment, surgical removal of the tumor remains effective for 1-2 stages. In the remaining stages of treatment should be combined, include in different sequences:

• surgical removal of the tumor;
• lymph nodeectomy aimed at the removal of metastases in the lymph nodes;
• chemical therapy( not in all cases);
• radiotherapy( not in all cases);

For the removal of pain symptoms it is shown to resort to methods of non-traditional and classical medicine, adding them to the prescribed treatment. It can be acupuncture, electrophoresis, massage and more.

Surgical methods

In the first and second stages, under favorable circumstances, resection may be performed. In other cases, parotidectomy with preservation of the facial nerve is possible, if possible. Because the operation is difficult to perform, it can be accompanied by complications: trauma of the facial nerve, bleeding, salivary fistula, paresis and the like.

When metastases penetrate into the lymph nodes, the patient is prescribed lymphdesection.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is prescribed only after surgery when:

• is a large stage of cancer;
• output of the tumor beyond the gland, into the nerves or lymph vessels;
• relapse of cancer;
• metastasis in the lymph nodes;

Irradiation is performed in a dosage( SOD) of 60-70 Gy. After radiation therapy can observe complications: skin hyperemia, dry mouth, skin blisters.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is prescribed in conjunction with radiation, because without it it is simply useless. Schemes can vary, but most use the following 3:

• Cisplatin + Fluorouracil;
• Doxorubicin + Cisplatin;
• Paclitaxel + Carboplatin;

Drugs are given in the form of tablets and intravenous injections.

Chemotherapy causes hair loss and weakness in the body, symptoms of indigestion( diarrhea, vomiting, etc.), anemia and other side effects.

Together with chemotherapy, they prescribe a course of vitamins to raise the level of immunity, medications depending on the condition of the patient.

Prognosis and prevention measures

The prognosis for the treatment of cancer depends on the location of the tumor, the stage of the disease and other less important factors. Statistics show that the 15-year survival rate is:

1. 54% for tumors of highly differentiated;
2. 32% - moderately differentiated;
3. 3% - low-grade;

Specific measures to prevent salivary gland cancer can not be until the cause of its appearance is established. However, general recommendations that reduce the risk of emergence can be given:

• Avoid smoking and chewing tobacco.
• Try to minimize the negative impact on the work( visit a doctor, drink vitamins, work next to the hood, etc.).
• Organize a reasonable and balanced diet.

In this video, Dr. Maxim Sokolov will tell you about the first signs of malignant neoplasms in the salivary glands and the methods of their treatment: