Parotid tumours, which account for five per cent of all head and neck malignancies, are not cancerous, but there are those which can be cancerous and grow very slowly over the years. Dr Vivek Gupta, senior consultant, department of surgical oncology, PSRI, tells Kavita Bajeli-Datt that the tumour does not spread to other organs and can be easily cured if detected on time. Edited excerpts:
What is a parotid tumour?
A tumour is any lump in the body which can be cancerous (malignant) or benign, meaning they do not spread. Parotid tumour is a tumour of the salivary glands situated just in front of both ears. These tumours are of various types and can be benign or malignant.
Which ones are cancerous? Are they treatable?
When we talk of parotid tumours, there are some tumours or lumps which are cancerous, that is, they are malignant, like mucoepidermoid carcinoma, the most common malignant salivary gland tumour, and adenoid cystic carcinoma. Benign tumours like pleomorphic adenomas don’t spread; they keep growing in size very slowly over the years together. But they don’t spread to any other body organ, and these can be easily cured.
Other types of cancerous parotid tumours gradually grow in size and spread along the blood vessels and the lymphatics. They are typically called cancerous because they have their stages of spread.
What are its symptoms?
Lump in the parotid gland region or the neck. This lump might be increasing in size and may become ulcerated.
What are the early signs?
Lump in the parotid region or asymmetry of the face.
How common is it in India or globally?
These are not very common types of cancer. They account for only 5% of all head and neck malignancies.
What are the latest treatment options available?
In the early course of the disease, surgery is the curative treatment, which may be followed by radiation, chemotherapy or both. This depends on the type and stage.
What is the survival rate of those who are detected with cancerous parotid cancer?
The five-year relative survival rate of salivary gland cancer is 70-75%. Overall survival is around 50-60% in stage 1. The treatment depends on the stage, and if treated early, we can achieve a cure. But, stage 4 tumours are not curable for any of the cancers.
We often can’t prevent cancer because we don’t fully understand what causes it. Whether it’s cancer in the parotid gland, breast, or anywhere else, the exact cause isn’t always straightforward. Still, we can lower the risk by avoiding carcinogens and pollution. Detecting cancer early, especially with parotid cancer, is critical for successful treatment. So, catching it early is the best way to prevent it from becoming more serious.