Treatment
Targeted cancer drugs work by targeting the differences in cancer cells that help them to grow and survive.
Immunotherapy uses our immune system to attack cancer. It works by helping the immune system recognise and kill cancer cells.
Some drugs work in more than one way. So, they are targeted as well as working with the immune system.
You might have one of these treatments if your salivary gland cancer has a gene change (mutation) or a certain protein that helps the cancer grow. This may be as part of a clinical trial. They are used to treat salivary gland cancer when it has spread or other treatments have stopped working.
You generally have to be quite fit and well to have some of these drugs. Your doctor will tell you if this treatment may be an option for you.
Whether you have targeted therapy or immunotherapy depends on:
the type of salivary gland cancer you have
how far the cancer has grown (the stage)
treatment you may have already had
whether your cancer has changes (mutations) in certain proteins or genes
You might have a targeted drug in combination with chemotherapy.
Targeted drugs can help some people with advanced salivary gland cancer. Although these treatments can’t cure the cancer, they may help to control it for a time and help some people to live longer.
Tests can check for changes in genes (mutations) or certain proteins that help the cancer grow. They may look for changes in the:
Neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene
NOTCH gene
RET gene
MYB gene
HER2 protein
PD-1 protein
PD-L1 protein
They usually test a sample of your salivary gland cancer tissue from when you were first diagnosed. Or from your operation if you had one.
The results of the tests may show whether a targeted cancer drug is suitable for you.
New cancer drugs are licensed for use in a particular way. For example, a drug might have a license to treat a particular stage or type of cancer.
Once a drug has a license, several independent organisations approve the new cancer drugs. Only then can doctors prescribe them on the NHS.
Read how drugs are licensed and approved in our access to treatment section
This gene change causes the production of an abnormal protein called TRK protein. The TRK protein can make the salivary gland cancer grow. Certain drugs can target the TRK protein and aim to slow the growth of the cancer.
If your cancer has an NTRK gene change then you might have the following targeted cancer drugs:
larotrectinib (Vitrakvi)
entrectinib (Rozlytrek)
Larotrectinib is a capsule or liquid that you swallow. You have this twice a day.
Entrectinib is a capsule that you swallow. You take this once a day.
You have these medicines for as long as the treatment is working and you are not experiencing too many side effects.
Certain drugs can target positive cancers. If you have HER2 positive salivary gland cancer that is advanced or has come back after previous treatment you might have:
trastuzumab
pertuzumab
These drugs are given into your bloodstream, usually every 3 weeks.
You can read more about these drugs and their side effects on our A to Z drugs list.
Go to the cancer drugs A to Z list
Pembrolizumab is a type of immunotherapy. It stimulates the body's immune system to kill cancer cells.
Pembrolizumab targets and blocks a protein called PD-1 on the surface of certain immune cells. These immune cells are called T-cells. Blocking the protein triggers the T-cells to find and kill cancer cells.
You might have pembrolizumab if you have a type of salivary gland cancer called squamous cell carcinoma.
Some salivary gland cancers make a protein called an androgen receptor. Hormones in the body can attach to these receptors and can encourage cancer cells to divide and grow.
A type of hormone treatment can attach to these receptors and stop the cancer from growing. These drugs are called .
If you have advanced or metastatic salivary gland cancer you might have anti androgen treatment. An example of an anti androgen is the drug bicalutamide.
Bicalutamide is sometimes given with another hormone treatment called leuprorelin.
Leuprorelin lowers the hormone levels in the blood. This means that there aren't many hormones left to attach to the androgen receptor. This makes it harder for the cancer cells to grow.
Your salivary gland cancer cells can be tested in the laboratory, to see if it has androgen receptors.
Read about bicalutamide and the side effects
Everyone is different and the side effects vary from person to person. The side effects you have depend on:
which drug you have
whether you have it on its own or with other drugs
the amount of drug you have (the dose)
your general health
A side effect may get better or worse during your course of treatment. Or more side effects may develop as the treatment goes on. For more information about the side effects of your treatment, go to the individual drug pages.
Researchers are trying to find better treatments for salivary gland cancer. This includes learning more about the genetic make-up of individual cancers and developing different types of targeted drugs and immunotherapies.
Researchers are looking at these drugs on their own or combined with other treatments.
New treatments are tested in clinical trials, so ask your doctor if there are any trials suitable for you.
Last reviewed: 01 May 2026
Next review due: 01 May 2029
Salivary gland cancer can start in any of the glands that make spit (saliva). As well as 3 major pairs of salivary glands we have over 600 smaller, minor salivary glands throughout the lining of the mouth and throat.
Treatment for salivary gland cancer depends on where the cancer is, the size, whether it has spread anywhere else and your health.
Our clinical trials aim to find out if a new treatment or procedure is safe, is better than the current treatment or helps you feel better.
There are many cancer drugs, cancer drug combinations and they have individual side effects.
Getting practical and emotional support can help you to cope with a diagnosis of salivary gland cancer. It can also help you with life during and after treatment.
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