ON THIS PAGE: You will find information about how many people learn they have this type of cancer each year and some general survival information. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors. To see other pages in this guide, use the colored boxes on the right side of your screen, or click “Next” at the bottom.

Salivary gland cancer is uncommon in the United States. An estimated one adult out of 100,000 will be diagnosed with salivary gland cancer this year. Survival rates for people with this type of tumor vary depending on the type and the stage (extent) of the cancer. The five-year survival rate (percentage of people who survive at least five years after the cancer is detected, excluding those who die from other diseases) of people with cancer that has not spread at the time of diagnosis is 91%. If the cancer has spread to the surrounding lymph nodes (local spread) the five-year relative survival rate is 75%. If the cancer has spread to parts of the body far away from the salivary gland (distant spread), the five-year relative survival rate is 39%.

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 salivary gland cancer. Because the survival statistics are measured in five-year intervals, they may not represent advances made in the treatment or diagnosis of this cancer. Learn more about understanding statistics [2].

Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society.

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