Radiographic-anatomy, natural history and extension pathways of parotid and submandibular gland cancers

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy has been widely used routinely in recent past years for post-operative radiotherapy of salivary gland cancers Because of the sharp dose fall off outside of target volumes with IMRT, each volume must be strictly and rigorously defined, as the areas not specifically included in the target volume will not be treated to a therapeutic dose. The selection and delineation of these volumes is complex and requires extensive knowledge of parotid and submandibular gland cancer radiographic-anatomy, natural history and extension pathways (including local tumor spread, PNI risks and regional spread), which are detailed in the present article. (c) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Radiotherapy and Oncology 170 (2022) 48-54

Automated summary

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy is widely used for post-operative radiotherapy of salivary gland cancers. The strict definition and selection of target volumes is complex and requires extensive knowledge.