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Other names people use for this condition
  • Adenocystic carcinoma
  • Cribriform carcinoma
  • Cylindroma
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Adenoid cystic carcinoma
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Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare form of adenocarcinoma (a cancer that arises from gladular tissue). Adenoid cystic carcinoma is found mainly in the head and neck, but can occasionally occur in a woman’s uterus or other sites in the body. It most commonly occurs in the salivary glands, in locations such as the palate (the roof of the mouth), nasopharynx (air passageway at the upper part of the throat and behind the nose), inner lining of the mouth, larynx, or trachea. Symptoms may include difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, dull pain, numbness or palpable lumps. Regardless of its location, adenoid cystic carcinoma tends to spread along nerves or through the bloodstream. A small percentage of cases spread to the lymph nodes. The most common location for metatasis is the lung. Adenoid cystic carcinoma is often unpredictable, with long periods of no activity followed by rapid growth. The cause of adenoid cystic carcinoma is not known and no specific risk factors have been identified. Treatment depends on the size and location of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread, and the patient's overall health, but may include surgery, radiation or chemotherapy.[1]

References
  1. Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma. CancerNet (American Society of Clinical Oncology). July 2008 Available at: http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Adenoid+Cystic+Carcinoma. Accessed January 15, 2008.

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More Detailed Information (Found 7 resources)
Links where you can find more general information, comprehensive resources, selected full text journal articles, and news updates

  • General

    • The Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Alliance provides information about this condition. Click on the above link to access this information.


    • Cancer.Net, a resource from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, provides information about adenoid cystic carcinoma. Click on the above link to access this information.
    • The National Cancer Institute provides the most current information on cancer for patients, health professionals, and the general public.  Click on the link to view information on this topic. 
    • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
    • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Adenoid cystic carcinoma. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
    • The Oral Cancer Foundation provides information about adenoid cystic carcinoma. Visit the above link to access this information.
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NLM Gateway (Found 1 resource)
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    • NLM Gateway allows users to search many resources offered on the National Library of Medicine's Web site at once to quickly find more information about this condition. Some of the resources may be a duplicate of the resources listed on this page. To search NLM Gateway, click on the link; the condition name will already be in the search box, so you can just click the “Search” button.
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Support Groups (Found 7 resources)
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  • Live Chat/E-mail Lists

    • The National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD) has partnered with Inspire.com to launch an online community for people with rare diseases called The NORD Rare Disease Community. This community connects medical patients, family members, caregivers, and professionals. Click on The NORD Rare Disease Community to learn more.
    • RareShare is an online social hub dedicated to patients, families and healthcare professionals affected by rare medical disorders. Click on RareShare to learn more.
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Clinical Trials & Research (Found 1 resource)
Resources where you may find research studies and clinical trials

    • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are studying or have studied Adenoid cystic carcinoma. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

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