Adenoid Cystic CarcinomaLast Updated: December 26, 2011 This section has been reviewed and approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 12/11 Overview
Cancer begins when normal cells change and grow uncontrollably, forming a mass called a tumor. A tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous, meaning it can spread to other parts of the body). Adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) is a rare form of adenocarcinoma, which is a broad term describing any cancer arising from glandular tissues. AdCC is found mainly in the head and neck, but it can occasionally occur in a woman’s uterus or other sites in the body. It most commonly occurs in the salivary glands, which consist of clusters of cells that secrete saliva scattered throughout the upper aerodigestive tract (the organs and tissues of the upper respiratory tract, including the lips, mouth, tongue, nose, throat, vocal cords, and part of the esophagus and windpipe). A tumor may begin in the:
Regardless of where it starts, AdCC tends to spread along nerves (perineural invasion) or through the bloodstream. It spreads to the lymph nodes in only about 5% to 10% of cases. The most common place of metastases (spreading) is the lung. AdCC is known for having long periods of indolence (no growth) followed by growth spurts. However, AdCC can behave aggressively in some people, making the course of the AdCC unpredictable. AdCC is also described based on the histologic (how cells look under a microscope) variations of the tumor, including cylindroma, cribiform, and solid AdCC. AdCC is sometimes classified as a disease of the minor salivary gland, even though it may begin at other sites. This section covers AdCC. Learn more about head and neck cancers. Find out more about basic cancer terms used in this section. Statistics
AdCC is rare. AdCC is most often diagnosed in people in their 40s to 60s, but there are documented cases of pediatric (childhood) AdCC. Women are slightly more likely to be diagnosed with AdCC than men; the female to male ratio is approximately 3 to 2. The five-year survival rate (the percentage of people who survive at least five years after the cancer is detected, excluding those who die from other diseases) of people with AdCC is approximately 89%. The 15-year survival rate of people with AdCC is approximately 40%. Tumor growth for AdCC is often slow, and people may live a long time with metastatic disease; however, a late recurrence (cancer that comes back after treatment) of AdCC is common and can occur many years after initial treatment. Cancer survival statistics should be interpreted with caution. These estimates are based on data from thousands of people with this type of cancer in the United States, but the actual risk for a particular individual may differ. It is not possible to tell a person how long he or she will live with AdCC. Because survival statistics are often measured in multi-year intervals, they may not represent advances made in the treatment or diagnosis of this cancer. Learn more about understanding statistics. Source: University of Virginia Health System. Risk Factors
A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors can influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. However, knowing your risk factors and talking about them with your doctor may help you make more informed lifestyle and health care choices. The cause of AdCC is unknown at this time. Risk factors for this type of cancer have not been proven consistently with scientific research. There is some evidence that the p53 tumor suppressor gene (a gene that limits cell growth by monitoring the rate at which cells divide) is somehow inactivated in advanced and aggressive forms of AdCC. Symptoms and Signs
People with AdCC may experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people with AdCC do not show any of these symptoms. Or, these symptoms may be caused by a medical condition that is not cancer. If you are concerned about a symptom or sign on this list, please talk with your doctor. The initial symptoms of AdCC depend on the location of the tumor. Early lesions of the salivary glands may appear as painless, usually slow-growing masses underneath the normal lining of the mouth or skin of the face. Because there are many salivary glands under the mucosal lining of the mouth, throat, and sinuses, lumps in these locations could be from this type of tumor. Other symptoms may include:
Your doctor will ask you questions about the symptoms you are experiencing to help find out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis. This may include how long you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s) and how often. If cancer is diagnosed, relieving symptoms and side effects remains an important part of cancer care and treatment. This may also be called symptom management, palliative care, or supportive care. Be sure to talk with your health care team about symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms. Diagnosis
Doctors use many tests to diagnose cancer and find out if it has metastasized (spread). Some tests may also determine which treatments may be the most effective. For most types of cancer, a biopsy is the only way to make a definitive diagnosis of cancer. If a biopsy is not possible, the doctor may suggest other tests that will help make a diagnosis. Imaging tests may be used to find out whether the cancer has metastasized. Your doctor may consider these factors when choosing a diagnostic test:
In addition to a physical examination, the following tests may be used to diagnose AdCC: Biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. Other tests can suggest that cancer is present, but only a biopsy can make a definite diagnosis. The sample removed from a biopsy is analyzed by a pathologist (a doctor who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues, and organs to diagnose disease). The pathology of the salivary gland can be difficult to interpret, so a pathologist who is experienced in diagnosing tumors from this area of the body. The biopsy can be performed by using a fine needle biopsy, or by surgical removal of part or all of the tumor. A fine needle biopsy is also called fine needle aspiration or FNA. This procedure uses a thin needle to remove fluid and cells. An AdCC tumor is characterized by a distinctive pattern in which bundles of epithelial cells surround and/or infiltrate ducts or glandular structures within the organ. Frequently, diagnosis of AdCC is made after the surgical removal of a tumor first thought to be benign. Imaging tests. Imaging techniques, primarily magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan, are useful to help doctors see the extent of the tumor prior to any surgery. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan may also be used to determine if the tumor has spread to other parts of the body.
Learn more about what to expect when having common tests, procedures, and scans. After these diagnostic tests are done, your doctor will review all of the results with you. If the diagnosis is cancer, these results also help the doctor describe the cancer; this is called staging. Learn more about the first steps to take after a diagnosis of cancer. Staging
Staging is a way of describing a cancer, such as where it is located, if or where it has spread, and whether it is affecting the functions of other organs in the body. Doctors use diagnostic tests to determine the cancer’s stage, so staging may not be complete until all of the tests are finished. Knowing the stage helps the doctor to decide what kind of treatment is best and can help predict a patient’s prognosis (chance of recovery). There are different stage descriptions for different types of cancer. There is no uniform staging system used for AdCC, but often the staging system for a major salivary gland tumor is used. One tool that doctors use to describe the stage is the TNM system. This system judges three factors: the size of the tumor itself, whether the tumor has spread to the lymph nodes around the tumor, and if the tumor has spread to other parts of the body. The results are combined to determine the stage of cancer for each person. There are five stages: stage 0 (zero) and stages I through IV (one through four). The stage provides a common way of describing the cancer so doctors can work together to plan the best treatments. TNM is an abbreviation for tumor (T), node (N), and metastasis (M). Doctors look at these three factors to determine the stage of cancer:
Tumor. Using the TNM system, the "T" plus a letter or number (0 to 4) is used to describe the size and location of the tumor. Some stages are divided into smaller groups that help describe the tumor in even more detail. Specific tumor stage information is listed below. TX: Indicates the primary tumor cannot be evaluated. T0: No evidence of a tumor is found. T1: Describes a small noninvasive tumor that is 2 centimeters (cm) at its widest dimension. T2: Describes a larger noninvasive tumor, between 2 cm and 4 cm. T3: Describes a tumor that is larger than 4 cm, but not larger than 6 cm, that has spread beyond the salivary gland. However, the tumor does not affect the seventh nerve, which is the facial nerve that controls such expressions as smiles or frowns. T4a: The tumor invades the skin, jawbone, ear canal, and/or facial nerve. T4b: The tumor invades the skull base and/or the nearby bones and/or encases the arteries. Node. The “N” in the TNM staging system is for lymph nodes, the tiny, bean-shaped organs that help fight infection. For AdCC, lymph nodes near the head and neck are called regional lymph nodes. Lymph nodes in other parts of the body are called distant lymph nodes. NX: Indicates that the neck has undergone an intervention that prevents the status of lymph nodes from being evaluated. N0: There is no evidence of cancer in the regional nodes. N1: Indicates that cancer has spread to a single node on the same side as the primary tumor and the cancer found in the node is 3 cm or smaller. N2: Describes any of these conditions: N2a: Cancer has spread to a single lymph node on the same side as the primary tumor, and is larger than 3 cm, but not larger than 6 cm. N2b: Cancer has spread to more than one lymph node on the same side as the primary tumor, and no tumor measures larger than 6 cm. N2c: Cancer has spread to more than one lymph node on either side of the body, and no tumor measures larger than 6 cm. N3: Cancer found in lymph nodes is larger than 6 cm. Distant metastasis. The "M" in the TNM system describes cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. MX: Indicates distant metastasis cannot be evaluated. M0: Indicates the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body. M1: Describes cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Cancer stage grouping Doctors assign the stage of the cancer by combining the T, N, and M classifications. Stage I: Describes a noninvasive tumor (T1, T2) with no spread to lymph nodes (N0) and no distant metastasis (M0). Stage II: Describes an invasive tumor (T3) with no spread to lymph nodes (N0) or distant metastasis (M0). Stage III: Describes a smaller tumor (T1, T2) that has spread to regional lymph nodes (N1), but have no sign of metastasis (M0). Stage IVA: Describes any invasive tumor (T4a) with either no lymph node involvement (N0) or spread to only a single, same-sided lymph node (N1), but no metastasis (M0). It is also used for a T3 tumor with one-sided nodal involvement (N1), but no metastasis (M0), or any tumor (any T) with extensive nodal involvement (N2). Stage IVB: Describes any cancer (any T) with more extensive spread to lymph nodes (N2, N3) and no metastasis (M0). Stage IVC: Describes any cancer (any T, any N) with distant metastasis (M1). Recurrent: Recurrent cancer is cancer that comes back after treatment. If there is a recurrence, the cancer may need to be staged again (re-staging) using the system above. Used with permission of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), Chicago, Illinois. The original source for this material is the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, Seventh Edition (2010) published by Springer-Verlag New York, www.cancerstaging.net. Treatment
This section outlines treatments that are the standard of care (the best proven treatments available) for this specific type of cancer. When making treatment plan decisions, patients are also encouraged to consider clinical trials as an option. A clinical trial is a research study to test a new treatment to evaluate whether it is safe, effective, and possibly better than standard treatment. Your doctor can help you review all treatment options. For more information, visit the Clinical Trials and Current Research sections. Treatment overview In cancer care, different types of doctors often work together to create a patient’s overall treatment plan that combines different types of treatments. This is called a multidisciplinary team. Descriptions of the most common treatment options for AdCC are listed below. Treatment options and recommendations depend on several factors, including the type and stage of cancer, possible side effects, and the patient’s preferences and overall health. Learn more about making treatment decisions. Surgery Surgery is the removal of the tumor and surrounding tissue during an operation. Surgical removal of the tumor is the best treatment for AdCC, provided it can be done safely and is likely to have a good outcome. A surgical oncologist is a doctor who specializes in treating cancer using surgery. During surgery, the surgeon will remove the tumor and an area of tissue surrounding it, called a margin. Surgery is considered the most successful if the margin removed during surgery is found to be “clean,” which means that there is a minimum of 2 millimeters (mm) of cancer-free tissue surrounding the tumor. The extent of surgery will vary by the site of the tumor and the structures that are involved. Because AdCC may frequently spread along nerves, the surgeon should examine and determine whether nerves are involved. Major nerves that are uninvolved should be avoided during surgery. Smaller branches of nerves should be analyzed to determine if the cancer has spread to the space surrounding the nerve. For a later stage tumor or one that significantly involves nerves, the surgeon should remove as much of the tumor as possible while sparing organs and functions of the face. Side effects from surgery vary depending upon the surgical site. A concern with all surgeries of the parotid gland is that the surgery may damage facial nerves, which can cause the muscles in the face to droop. Sometimes, a facial nerve graft or other reconstructive procedures may be used to restore function of the facial muscles after surgery to remove the tumor. Occasionally, it is not possible to remove AdCC using surgery. This type of tumor is called inoperable. In these cases, your doctor will recommend other treatment options (see below). Learn more about cancer surgery. External-beam radiation therapy Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill cancer cells. The most common type of radiation treatment is called external-beam radiation therapy, which is radiation given from a machine outside the body. A doctor who specializes in giving radiation therapy to treat cancer is called a radiation oncologist. A radiation therapy regimen (schedule) usually consists of a specific number of treatments given over a set period of time. Radiation therapy is particularly effective for AdCC as an adjuvant therapy (therapy given after surgery) by helping to eliminate any microscopic cancer cells remaining in the body after surgery. Radiation therapy is not used pre-operatively (before surgery) for this disease, as many surgeons feel that the surgical wound heals better if radiation therapy is not given prior to surgery. A specific method of external-beam radiation therapy, known as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), allows for more effective doses of radiation therapy to be delivered while reducing the damage to healthy cells and causing fewer side effects. Since radiation therapy is targeted to a specific area, the side effects will depend on where the radiation therapy was given. Generally, during head and neck treatments, people may experience a sore mouth and/or throat that can cause pain and difficulty in swallowing. They may also have a skin reaction or burn that causes some pain. Before beginning radiation treatment for any head and neck cancer, patients should receive a thorough examination from an oncologic dentist (a dentist experienced in treating people with head and neck cancer). Since radiation therapy can cause tooth decay, damaged teeth may need to be removed. Often, tooth decay can be prevented with proper treatment from a dentist before beginning treatment. Learn more about dental and oral health during cancer treatment. People should also receive an evaluation from a speech pathologist with experience treating people with head and neck cancer. The speech pathologist can teach exercises that will help maintain the strength and flexibility of the muscles used during speech and swallowing. Long-term side effects of radiation therapy vary with the sites involved, but they may include permanent loss of saliva, causing dryness of the mouth and deterioration of the teeth. In some cases, a drug to stimulate the parotid saliva gland and increase or restore saliva levels may be given. Currently, amifostine (Ethyol), a drug to protect tissues during radiation therapy, is being studied. Scarring or fibrosis (hardening or thickening) of the skin and muscles may develop several months to years after radiation therapy and lead to problems with wound healing, neck stiffness, and trouble swallowing. Other long-term effects that can develop include accelerated narrowing of the carotid arteries (the arteries that supply the head and neck with blood) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid disease). Learn more about radiation therapy. Neutron and proton radiation therapy Neutron therapy is a different form of radiation therapy. Compared with conventional radiation therapy, neutrons can deliver 20 times to 100 times more energy along their path length, causing much greater damage to the cancer cells. Neutron radiation therapy has been tested on many different types of tumors, and salivary gland tumors and AdCC have shown the greatest benefit. In certain instances, neutron radiation therapy may be the treatment of choice for AdCC, particularly in areas of the body where it is difficult to perform surgery. However, neutron therapy carries more severe side effects than conventional radiation therapy, such as severe sore mouth and/or throat and difficulty swallowing; therefore, it is generally used more often with people with inoperable (surgery cannot be performed) or recurrent disease. Medication to help increase saliva production and protect tissues may be given during this treatment. Neutrons cannot be used to treat large areas of the body for metastatic disease, but they can be used to treat isolated metastases that are causing problems, such as pain, blockage of part of the lung, or pressure on the spinal cord. Proton therapy (also called proton beam therapy) is a type of external-beam radiation therapy that uses protons rather than x-rays. At high energy, protons can destroy cancer cells. The advantage of proton therapy is the ability to better control where the radiation is delivered, greatly reducing the damage to normal healthy tissues that surround the tumor. However, proton therapy has not been extensively investigated for use in AdCC. Learn more about proton therapy. Neutron and proton therapy are not widely available. Talk with your doctor for information about availability of these treatments. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells, usually by stopping the cancer cells’ ability to grow and divide. Systemic chemotherapy is delivered through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy is given by a medical oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with medication. A chemotherapy regimen (schedule) usually consists of a specific number of cycles given over a set period of time. Chemotherapy is generally not used for AdCC, as this type of cancer appears to be less responsive to chemotherapy than other types of cancer. Various combinations of chemotherapy have been tried without much success. The combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is considered experimental for AdCC. Because AdCC is a rare disease and, in general, the current chemotherapy is of limited benefit, it is recommended that people with AdCC ask about clinical trials to treat this disease. It may also be beneficial to obtain a second opinion regarding treatment options. Learn more about seeking a second opinion. Learn more about chemotherapy and preparing for treatment. The medications used to treat cancer are continually being evaluated. Talking with your doctor is often the best way to learn about the medications prescribed for you, their purpose, and their potential side effects or interactions with other medications. Learn more about your prescriptions by using searchable drug databases. Recurrent AdCC Once your treatment is complete and there is a remission (absence of cancer symptoms; also called “no evidence of disease” or NED), talk with your doctor about the possibility of the cancer returning. Many survivors feel worried or anxious that the cancer will come back. Learn more about coping with this fear. If the cancer does return after the original treatment, it is called recurrent cancer. It may come back in the same place (called a local recurrence), nearby (regional recurrence), or in another place (distant recurrence). When this occurs, a cycle of testing will begin again to learn as much as possible about the recurrence. After testing is done, you and your doctor will talk about your treatment options. Often the treatment plan will include the therapies described above (such as surgery and radiation therapy) but may be used in a different combination or given at a different pace. Your doctor may also suggest clinical trials that are studying new ways to treat this type of recurrent cancer. People with recurrent cancer often experience emotions such as disbelief or fear. Patients are encouraged to talk with their health care team about these feelings and ask about support services to help them cope. Learn more about dealing with cancer recurrence. Metastatic AdCC If cancer has spread to another location in the body, it is called metastatic cancer. Patients with this diagnosis are encouraged to talk with doctors who are experienced in treating this stage of cancer, because there can be different opinions about the best treatment plan. Learn more about seeking a second opinion before starting treatment so you are comfortable with the chosen treatment plan. This discussion may include clinical trials. In addition to treatment to slow, stop, or eliminate the cancer (also called disease-directed treatment), an important part of cancer care is relieving a person’s symptoms and side effects. It includes supporting the patient with his or her physical, emotional, and social needs, an approach called palliative or supportive care. People often receive disease-directed therapy and treatment to ease symptoms at the same time. If disease-directed treatment is not successful, this may also be called advanced cancer. This diagnosis is stressful, and it may be difficult to discuss. However, it is important to have open and honest conversations with your doctor and health care team to express your feelings, preferences, and concerns. The health care team is there to help, and many team members have special skills, experience, and knowledge to support patients and their families. Learn more about advanced cancer care planning. Find out more about common terms used during cancer treatment. About Clinical Trials
Doctors and scientists are always looking for better ways to treat patients with AdCC. A clinical trial is a way to test a new treatment to prove that it is safe, effective, and possibly better than a standard treatment. To make scientific advances, doctors create research studies involving people, called clinical trials. Many clinical trials are focused on new treatments, evaluating whether a new treatment is safe, effective, and possibly better than the current (standard) treatment. These types of studies evaluate new drugs, different combinations of existing treatments, new approaches to radiation therapy or surgery, and new methods of treatment. Patients who participate in clinical trials are often among the first to receive new treatments before they are widely available. However, there is no guarantee that the new treatment will be safe, effective, or better than a standard treatment. There are also clinical trials that study new ways to ease symptoms and side effects during treatment and manage the late effects that may occur after treatment. Talk with your doctor about clinical trials regarding side effects. In addition, there are ongoing studies about ways to prevent the disease. Patients decide to participate in clinical trials for many reasons. For some patients, a clinical trial is the best treatment option available. Because standard treatments are not perfect, patients are often willing to face the added uncertainty of a clinical trial in the hope of a better result. Other patients volunteer for clinical trials because they know that these studies are the only way to make progress in treating AdCC. Even if they do not benefit directly from the clinical trial, their participation may benefit future patients with AdCC. Sometimes people have concerns that, by participating in a clinical trial, they may receive no treatment by being given a placebo or a “sugar pill.” The use of placebos in cancer clinical trials is rare. When a placebo is used in a study, it is done with the full knowledge of the participants. Find out more about placebos in cancer clinical trials. To join a clinical trial, patients must participate in a process known as informed consent. During informed consent, the doctor should list all of the patient’s options so that the person understands how the new treatment differs from the standard treatment. The doctor must also list all of the risks of the new treatment, which may or may not be different than the risks of standard treatment. Finally, the doctor must explain what will be required of each patient in order to participate in the clinical trial, including the number of doctor visits, tests, and the schedule of treatment. Learn more about clinical trials, including patient safety, phases of a clinical trial, deciding to participate in a clinical trial, questions to ask the research team, and links to find clinical trials. For specific topics being studied for AdCC, learn more in the Current Research section. Patients who participate in a clinical trial may stop participating at any time for any personal or medical reason. This may include that the new treatment is not working or there are serious side effects. It is important that patients participating in a clinical trial talk with their doctor and researchers about who will be providing their treatment and care during the clinical trial, after the clinical trials ends, and/or if the patient chooses to leave the clinical trial before it ends. Side Effects
Cancer and its treatment can cause a variety of side effects. However, doctors have made major strides in recent years in reducing pain, lymphedema, nausea and vomiting, and other physical side effects of cancer treatments. Many treatments used today are less intensive but as effective as treatments used in the past. Doctors also have many ways to provide relief to patients when such side effects occur. Fear of treatment side effects is common after a diagnosis of cancer, but it may be helpful to know that preventing and controlling side effects is a major focus of your health care team. Before treatment begins, talk with your doctor about possible side effects of the specific treatments you will be receiving. The specific side effects that can occur depend on a variety of factors, including the type of cancer, its location, the individual treatment plan (including the length and dosage of treatment), and your overall health. Common side effects for each treatment option are described in detail within the Treatment section. Ask your doctor which side effects are most likely to happen (and which are not), when side effects are likely to occur, and how they will be addressed by the health care team. Also, be sure to communicate with the doctor about side effects you experience during and after treatment. Care of a patient’s symptoms and side effects is an important part of a person’s overall treatment plan; this is called palliative or supportive care. It helps people with cancer at any stage of illness be as comfortable as possible. Learn more about the most common side effects of cancer and different treatments, along with ways to prevent or control them. Be sure to talk with your doctor about the level of caregiving you may need during treatment and recovery, as family members and friends often play an important role in the care of a person with AdCC. Learn more about caregiving. In addition to physical side effects, there may be psychosocial (emotional and social) effects as well. For many patients, a diagnosis of AdCC is stressful and can bring difficult emotions. Patients and their families are encouraged to share their feelings with a member of their health care team who can help with coping strategies. Learn more about the importance of addressing such needs, including concerns about managing the cost of your cancer care. A side effect that occurs months or years after treatment is called a late effect. Treatment of late effects is an important part of survivorship care. Learn more about late effects or long-term side effects by reading the After Treatment section or talking with your doctor. After Treatment
After treatment for AdCC ends, talk with your doctor about developing a follow-up care plan. This plan may include regular physical examinations and/or medical tests to monitor your recovery for the coming months and years. People should have regular follow-up check-ups with their doctor to monitor the effects of treatment and to check for recurrences or distant metastases, which may occur even years after successful primary treatment. There is no known way to prevent recurrence of AdCC. A secondary cancer is rare in AdCC. ASCO offers cancer treatment summary forms to help keep track of the cancer treatment you received and develop a survivorship care plan once treatment is completed. People treated with surgery may need cancer rehabilitation to regain physical function and flexibility. Treatments to the head and neck can affect swallowing, and patients may experience pain. These symptoms can be treated with rehabilitative therapy and, in most cases, get better gradually over time. Follow-up care by an oncologic dentist may be needed after radiation therapy. Sometimes, care may be given by a prosthodontist (a dental specialist with additional training and certification in the restoration and replacement of broken teeth with crowns, bridges, and removable prosthetics [dentures]) if major surgery to the mouth or jaw has taken place during treatment. Some people may experience depression following treatment, and this may require specialized therapy as well. Most cancer centers have support groups that encourage people to become more informed about these issues. Learn more about the next steps to take in survivorship, including making positive lifestyle changes. People recovering from AdCC are encouraged to follow established guidelines for good health, such as maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, eating a balanced diet, and having recommended cancer screening tests. Talk with your doctor to develop a plan that is best for your needs. Moderate physical activity can help rebuild your strength and energy level. Your doctor can help you create an appropriate exercise plan based upon your needs, physical abilities, and fitness level. Learn more about healthy living after cancer. Find out more about common terms used after cancer treatment is complete. Current Research
Research for AdCC is ongoing. The following advances may still be under investigation in clinical trials and may not be approved or available at this current time. Always discuss all diagnostic and treatment options with your doctor. Anti-angiogenesis research. Anti-angiogenesis therapy is a type of targeted therapy (see below). It is focused on stopping angiogenesis, which is the process of making new blood vessels. Because a tumor needs the nutrients found in blood vessels to grow and spread, the goal of anti-angiogenesis therapies is to “starve” the tumor. Research is focused on how this type of therapy may benefit patients with AdCC. Targeted therapies. Targeted therapy is a treatment that targets the cancer’s specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth and survival. Currently, targeted therapies are being developed that may be useful in the treatment of AdCC. In particular, research continues to determine the molecular mechanism that regulates the spread of AdCC along the nerves. Learn more about targeted treatments. Chemotherapy. Several clinical trials are examining the effects of newer drugs alone, or in combination with other drugs, in the control of metastatic or locally recurrent AdCC. Supportive care. Clinical trials are underway to find better ways of reducing symptoms and side effects of current AdCC treatments in order to improve patients’ comfort and quality of life. Learn more about common statistical terms used in cancer research. To find clinical trials specific to your diagnosis, talk with your doctor or search online clinical trial databases now. Questions to Ask the Doctor
Talking often with the doctor is important to make informed decisions about your health care. These suggested questions are a starting point to help you learn more about your cancer care and treatment. You are also encouraged to ask additional questions that are important to you.
Patient Information Resources
In addition to Cancer.Net, there are other sources of information about this type of cancer available online. Cancer.Net maintains a list of national, not-for-profit organizations that may be helpful in finding additional information, services, and support. As always, be sure to talk with your doctor about questions you may have about information you find about this disease. |
