Treatment of Submandibular Gland Cancer in Salivary Duct Carcinoma with Recurrent or Metastatic Disease

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is an aggressive histological subtype of submandibular gland cancer. Fifty-four percent of patients treated with curative intent will develop locoregional recurrences and/or distant metastases, making systemic management a common and critical clinical challenge.

When recurrent or metastatic (R/M) disease is confirmed, systemic treatment should be initiated without delay.

The selection of systemic therapy in R/M salivary duct carcinoma is driven by tumour biomarker profiling. Depending on receptor expression status, the approach may involve a hormonal strategy, a targeted regimen, or platinum-based chemotherapy — each indicated under specific tumour characteristics.

The full evidence-based algorithm — including specific agents, combination sequences, eligibility criteria, and evidence grades — is available in the complete protocol below.