Radiation therapy is also a common treatment of cancer of the salivary gland. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

Specialized types of radiation have been shown to be effective in treating some salivary glands tumors. Fast-neutron beam radiation is a type of radiation therapy that uses tiny particles called neutrons. Photon-beam radiation therapy reaches deep tumors with high-energy light. Along with radiation therapy, the use of drugs to make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation (radiosensitization) is being tested in clinical trials.

Postoperative radiation therapy, using IMRT (where computers assist in planning the radiation so as to minimize injury to other areas) is a mainstay of treatment high grade salivary gland cancer.

In conjunction with the Biodesign Department, we are developing a device to mitigate the dry mouth associated with irradiation.