Parotid gland cancer

[Susang]

Anyone here have any experience with this form of cancer? My mother just had a tumor removed from her Parotid gland and the pathology came back positive for cancer. It was termed low-grade acinic clear cell carcinoma. Any personal stories, experiences with this matter (diagnosis, treatement, etc.) would be greatly appreciated.

[flamingyouth]

1. Hi Susang

I'm sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis. :hug:

I know a woman from my Gilda's Club support group who has had this type of cancer. I haven't seen her for a while (due to our scheduling conflicts), but she's doing well now and her cancer is in remission. If my (poor) memory serves, she had radiation because she also had thyroid cancer at the same time.

Best wishes, I'll keep your family in my thoughts, and please keep us posted. :hug:

[LeighAnn]

2. Very rare??

Check this out, this is from the American Cancer Society:

Clear cell carcinoma: People with this tumor have excellent outcomes and deaths are rare.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_is_salivary_gland_cancer_54.asp

Look at this from the National Institutes of Health

Clear cell carcinomas of the parotid gland are hardly reported only fifty cases are known. They are characterized by a proliferation of acinic epithelial cells and of clear myo epithelial cells. What makes them remarkable is a slow process of evolution.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16142093&dopt=Abstract

Is that what you're dealing with? It also says,

Immunohistochemistry is the essential first step to sort these tumour with other salivary ones. Basic treatment is surgery. Radiation therapy linked to surgery seems to improve the local control of the disease. The prognosis remains relatively good despite discusses. Because of the few published cases, it's hard to analyze these tumours.

Well, I'm sorry for what you are going through, but the prognosis certainly seems hopeful.

:pals: