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People treated with surgery and/or radiation might also have problems with dry mouth and tooth decay, so regular dental exams are often recommended.

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has been investigated to help with this common side effect of salivary gland cancer treatment. It is a low-level laser therapy that is applied to the salivary glands. Initial studies have shown some success in people with dry mouth. More studies are needed to show that this therapy is helpful for this side effect.

Other studies are looking at different types of prevention and treatment of dry mouth, including new medicines, acupuncture, hyperbaric oxygen, submandibular gland transfer, and increasing saliva production through stimulation of the taste buds and by chewing.

Radiation can cause damage to the jawbone, called osteoradionecrosis. The main symptom is pain in the jaw. In some cases, the bone actually breaks. Sometimes the fractured bone heals by itself, but often the damaged bone will have to be repaired with surgery.

Cancers of the salivary glands and their treatments can sometimes cause problems such as loss or change in taste, dry mouth, loss of teeth, or changes in how the mouth and throat work. This can make it hard to eat, which can lead to weight loss and weakness due to poor nutrition.

After treatments like surgery and radiation, you might need nutrition through a tube or therapy to work on chewing and swallowing. Watching your weight and nutrition will be important, even after treatment.

Radiation, surgery, and certain chemo drugs can lead to problems with speech and swallowing. These are often checked and treated by a speech therapist, who is a professional who is trained in helping people with speech and swallowing problems. They can help you learn to manage these problems.

Some people might need to learn new ways of speaking. The speech therapist can play a major role in helping with this.

Certain treatments like radiation and platinum chemotherapy drugs (cisplatin, carboplatin) can affect your hearing. If this is the case, you might need to see a hearing specialist called an audiologist for devices to improve your hearing if the treatment affected it.

Some people might develop a new, unrelated cancer after treatment. This is called a second cancer.

Survivors of salivary gland cancers can get any second cancer, but they have an increased risk of:

• Another type of salivary gland cancer (different from the first cancer)
• Cancer of the oral cavity (mouth)
• Lung cancer
• Thyroid cancer

The facial nerves are the nerves that run through the parotid gland on the side of the face near the ear. Damage to the facial nerves during surgery can cause pain, numbness, or weakness. Therapy or surgery might help with some of these symptoms.

Surgery around the jaw or neck can sometimes lead to weakness in raising your arm above your head. If this happens, your doctor can refer you to a physical therapist, who can teach you exercises to improve your neck and shoulder strength and movement.

Some people develop nerve damage (neuropathy) after treatment with chemotherapy drugs like:

• Platinum chemo drugs (cisplatin, carboplatin)
• Paclitaxel

Symptoms of drug-related neuropathy might get better once treatment stops, but in some cases, these can be permanent.

Radiation treatments can scar the blood vessels, narrowing them. This can cause poor blood flow to the jaw bones, teeth, and brain. People who get radiation in the head and neck areas are at higher risk of stroke.

Changes in blood flow to the brain can also affect how well the mind functions. This can affect memory, mood, and the ability to complete a task.

Treatment with certain targeted drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) can increase your risk of having abnormal thyroid hormone levels. If you were treated with these drugs, your care team might recommend blood tests periodically to check your thyroid and endocrine system function.

When certain chemo medicines called anthracyclines (doxorubicin, mitoxantrone) are used, they can cause heart problems during or after treatment.

For some survivors, regular echocardiograms (ultrasounds of the heart) to look at the strength of the heart muscle might be recommended.

Chemo drugs, such as alkylator drugs (cyclophosphamide) and platinum drugs (cisplatin, carboplatin), can cause damage to the gonads (ovaries or testicles).

Anyone exposed to these drugs can have lower sex hormones, like testosterone and estrogen. This can cause symptoms like vaginal dryness, erectile dysfunction, and reduced sexual pleasure or desire. Low sex hormones can also impact your bone health, energy, and your brain’s ability to create new memories or complete a task.