Is Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Surgery Successful?

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma or ACC can afflict many parts of the body including the breast, sinuses, throat and glands of the eye, lung and brain. Even though it may occur in all these areas it is often the most common in the head and neck area, more specifically the salivary glands.

There are many symptoms that may be experienced by individuals in relation to ACC. These symptoms include paralysis of the face or nerves, lumps around the face, ears, jaw and mouth, drooping eyelids, changes in vision or hearing, hoarseness or difficulty swallowing and problems related to the respiratory system. If this condition affects the lung area some additional symptoms that may be encountered include coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing.

There are two common treatments for ACC. Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma surgery is the most common course of treatment for this disease. Another treatment that may be used is radiation also known as radiotherapy; this treatment is often given after surgery and may also be referred to as adjuvant or palliative radiotherapy. This treatment may be used alone in cases where surgery is not a viable option due to location, size or general condition of the individual.

What type of adenoid cystic carcinoma surgery is used is dependent on the location of the tumor in question. When the tumor is located in the breast area the tumor and some surrounding tissue is generally removed through a surgical procedure. Generally this will be followed by radiotherapy to ensure that no cancerous cells remain and in most cases the individual has a good chance of making a full recovery.

Although surgery is most often the first choice of treatment in adenoid cystic carcinoma when the area affected is located within the head or neck this makes surgery difficult.  The reason for this is because tumors in this area are often likely to spread along the nerve tracts.

Although in many cases surgery is the best course of action this does not always mean that it will correct the problem. Even with surgery tumors may reappear in previously affected areas and in some cases even in areas that were not previously affected. Radiotherapy often helps to reduce the chances of this. This is why radiotherapy is often used in conjunction with adenoid cystic carcinoma surgery. In cases where surgery is not possible radiotherapy alone may be an effective treatment.

Even if it is surgery and radiotherapy is performed and it has been determined that these treatments were effective in removing the tumor in the affected area, it is still important to maintain regular checkups with your health care provider in order to be certain that this condition does not recur. If there is a recurrence of the tumor or if tumors develop in other areas it may become necessary to undergo these treatments again for the new or resurfacing tumor.

Even after an extended period of time has passed, if new symptoms are experienced it is important to be rechecked for development of new tumors.