Systemic therapies for recurrent and/or metastatic salivary gland cancers

• Published in: Expert review of anticancer therapy Vol. 8; no. 3; pp. 393 - 402
• Main Authors: Vattemi, Emanuela, Graiff, Claudio, Sava, Teodoro, Pedersini, Rebecca, Caldara, Alessia, Mandarà, Marta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 01.03.2008; Informa Healthcare
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal - therapeutic use; Benzamides; Boronic Acids - therapeutic use; Bortezomib; Cetuximab; chemotherapy; Humans; Imatinib Mesylate; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - drug therapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - radiotherapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - surgery; Palliative Care; Piperazines - therapeutic use; Pyrazines - therapeutic use; Pyrimidines - therapeutic use; Quinazolines - therapeutic use; radiation therapy; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - drug therapy; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - pathology; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - surgery; salivary gland tumors; surgery; targeted therapy; Trastuzumab
• ISSN: 1473-7140; 1744-8328
• DOI: 10.1586/14737140.8.3.393

Salivary gland carcinomas are rare cancers, comprising 1-5% of head and neck cancers. They represent a morphologically and clinically diverse group of tumors. The most commonly histopathologic types are mucoepidermoid cancer, adenoid cystic cancer and adenocarcinomas. Malignant salivary gland tumors generally present as painless, slow-growing tumors that are indistinguishable from benign tumors. Surgery is the principal treatment and is curative in early stage. Radiation therapy should be considered in most patients after surgical resection. Chemotherapy is reserved for palliative treatment of metastatic disease but results are disappointing. Recent studies have investigated the role of targeted therapies in a palliative setting. Multicentre cooperative group clinical trials are required to assess novel therapies to maximize patient resources in this uncommon tumor.