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information.
TREATMENT FOR ACC
Primary Site
The treatment
your doctor recommends for your “primary site” (the area where the ACC first
appears) will depend on various factors including tumor size, tumor location
and tumor structure (shape and pattern) which is usually described as
cribiform, tubular, solid, or a combination of these.
Treatment
recommendations for the Primary Site may include:
Some helpful links:
RadiologyInfo: http://www.radiologyinfo.org/index.cfm?bhcp=1
Cyberknife
Patient Support: http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/
Cyberknife
Society:
http://www.cksociety.org/
Clinical Trials: http://www.orgsites.com/ca/acco/ClinicalTrialLinksFinal.htm
Tumors which grow
in various parts of the body after the primary site tumor grows are called
metastases. Not every person who has ACC
will develop metastases, and when a metastasis does occur, it may be found
several years after the primary site is found.
Your doctor may
recommend periodic MRIs, CT scans and/or PET scans to check for metastases or
reoccurrence.
Treatment
for Metastases:
Treatment for metastases depends on the
same factors as for the primary site.
If, for instance, multiple tumors are found in the lungs and they do not
appear to be growing rapidly, your doctor may recommend that the tumors
continue to be monitored, with no medical intervention, until one or more of
the tumors becomes a problem due to size or location. Once a lung metastasis becomes a problem, the
doctor may recommend any number of treatments (possibly surgery, various types
of radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of these) ,
depending on its size, location, and rate of growth.
Metastases can
occur in many different areas of the body.
The most common areas where ACC metastases occur are the lungs, liver
and bone. On rare occasions, ACC has
metastasized to the skin (including the scalp).
Some people may have a reoccurrence. This is a regrowth of the original primary
site tumor. Because ACC can spread
microscopically along nerves, it is possible that initial treatment may not
eradicate all of the ACC tumor cells. In
time, these cells continue to grow, and you may find a new lump or experience
symptoms at the original site.
Treatment for Reoccurrence:
Once again, treatment will depend on many
different factors including size and location.