黑料大湿Posts

The exact cause of most salivary gland cancers is not known. Learn more about risk factors for salivary gland cancer and how you might help lower your risk.

What causes salivary gland cancer?

A risk factor is anything that affects a person’s chance of getting a disease such as cancer.

Researchers have found some risk factors for salivary gland cancer. But for the most part, it’s not clear exactly how these risk factors might cause salivary gland cancers to develop. Research is underway to learn more.

We do know that certain gene changes (mutations) in normal salivary gland cells are seen more often in certain types of salivary gland cancer. These changes happen in genes that control cell growth or repair damaged DNA.

Gene changes found in salivary gland cancer

Certain gene changes in normal cells can alter the way the gene works. When this happens, it can promote cancer growth and lead to a person developing cancer.

Certain gene changes are seen more commonly in certain types of salivary gland cancer. When doctors find certain gene changes in cancer cells, they can use this information to diagnose and treat your cancer.

Some examples of gene changes in salivary gland tumors include:

• MECT1:MAML2 gene fusion, in many mucoepidermoid carcinomas
• MYB:NFIB gene fusion, in more than half of adenoid cystic carcinomas
• ETV-NTRK3 fusion genes, in some secretory carcinomas. Sometimes targeted drugs called TRK inhibitors can be used to block the tumor growth signal from NTRK3.

Still, in many cases, a specific gene change causing salivary gland cancer is not found.

Are these gene changes inherited or acquired?

Gene changes that cause cancer can be:

• Inherited, passed on from a parent
• Acquired, happen either because of damage or by chance.

Most gene changes in salivary gland cancer are acquired.

Acquired gene changes can result from exposure to cancer-causing chemicals, like those found in tobacco smoke or chemicals at work. In other cases, gene changes might not have a clear cause. Several different gene changes are usually needed for cancer to develop, but not all these changes are understood.

Inherited gene changes rarely directly cause these cancers. But some people might be more sensitive to the effects of cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) than others because of their genes.

Risk factors for salivary gland cancer

A few risk factors are known to make a person more likely to develop salivary gland cancer, but most salivary gland cancers start without any clear cause. Having a risk factor, or even many, does not mean that you will get the disease.

Some risk factors, like smoking, can be changed. Others, like a person’s age or family history, cannot be changed.

Other possible risk factors

Can salivary gland cancer be prevented?

Because we don’t know what causes most salivary gland cancers, we don’t yet know how to prevent many of them.

Avoid exposure to certain infections

Certain viral infections, such as EBV, HIV, and HPV, might be linked to an increased risk of salivary gland cancers. Avoiding exposure to these viruses might help lower your risk. And although more research is needed to understand finding HPV in some salivary gland cancers, there are vaccines available to help prevent 6 HPV cancers.

Avoid tobacco

The link between tobacco and salivary gland cancer is not clear, but avoiding tobacco is a good idea. It might also help lower your risk of tobacco-related cancers, including other head and neck cancers and lung cancers. Tobacco use has also been associated with many other diseases.

Avoid certain workplace exposures

People who have an increased risk of salivary gland cancer because they work in certain industries should take precautions to protect themselves to help lower their risk.