Research into salivary gland cancer
Salivary gland cancer is rare and there are different types. It is difficult to do research and carry out trials in a rare type of cancer as there may not be enough people with the same cancer type to join a trial. In this situation, researchers and doctors might organise a trial that recruits people from different countries.
Go to Cancer Research UK’s clinical trials database if you are looking for a trial for salivary gland cancer in the UK. You need to talk to your specialist if there are any trials that you think you might be able to take part in.
When in the trials database, click on both the recruiting and closed tabs at the top of the page.
Some of the trials on this page have now stopped recruiting people. It takes time before the results are available. This is because the trial team follow the patients for a period of time and collect and analyse the results. We have included this ongoing research to give examples of salivary gland cancer research.
Research and clinical trials
All cancer treatments must be fully researched before everyone can use them. This is so we can be sure that:
- they work
- they work better than the treatments already available
- they are safe
Scans during treatment
Doctors have been looking at using new and different scans for people with head and neck cancer during treatment, which includes looking at:
- whether a combined PET-CT scan might give a better idea than other scans of how well the treatment is working
- testing new MRI imaging and new ways to analyse the images
- measuring the growth of blood vessels using a PET-CT scan and a PET- MR scan
Research into targeted cancer drugs and immunotherapy
Targeted cancer drugs are drugs which change the way that the cells work. They can boost the body’s immune system to fight off or kill cancer cells. Or they can block signals that tell cancer cells to grow.
There are different types of targeted cancer drugs and immunotherapies. For salivary gland cancer, researchers are looking at:
- entrectinib
- larotrectinib
- trastuzumab
- pertuzumab
- selpercatinib
- dabrafenib
- trametinib
- pembrolizumab
Injecting the cancer
Researchers are looking at a new drug called tigilanol tigate. It is for people with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer. The researchers inject the drug directly into the cancer. They want to see if it kills the cancer cells and to find out more about the side effects.
Reducing the side effects of treatment
Treatment for head and neck cancer can sometimes cause side effects that are difficult to cope with. Researchers are looking at ways to relieve the side effects of treatment. And find out how they can best support people with salivary gland cancer.
Mouth problems
It’s common for people with salivary gland cancer to have mouth problems caused by their cancer or the treatment. Researchers are looking at ways of preventing or improving symptoms such as:
- dry mouth (xerostomia)
- painful mouth (mucositis)
- (difficulty opening your mouth (trismus)
Long term side effects of radiotherapy
Researchers want to develop a computer tool to predict a person’s risk of getting long term side effects. To do this, researchers are asking patients to fill in a questionnaire to record their side effects following radiotherapy.
Then in the future, they want to develop a computer tool that can predict a person’s risk of getting side effects. Doctors hope it will help patients and improve care in the future.
Find a clinical trial
Our clinical trials database has information about UK clinical trials for salivary gland cancer and summaries of trial results.
