Current Research

Research involving more advanced diagnostic procedures and treatment for lacrimal gland tumors 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.

Radioimmunotherapy. Radioimmunotherapy is a treatment that combines the effectiveness of radiation therapy with immunotherapy. A radioactive material is attached to a protein that identifies the cancer cells as targets, and then a monoclonal antibody carries the radiation to the target cells. The radioactivity kills the cells with which it comes in contact. The most common form of radioimmunotherapy that is being researched is ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin), which is used in the treatment of lymphoma.

Radiation therapy. Proton-beam radiation therapy is being studied for its use in the treatment of a tumor around the eye.

Chemotherapy. Researchers continue to explore new chemotherapeutic drugs and combinations that may benefit people with a lacrimal gland tumor.