According to preliminary data from a multi-institution Phase III trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) achieved similar clinical outcomes and offered significant patient benefits when compared to traditional intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) as part of chemoradiation treatment for patients with oropharyngeal ( head and neck) cancer. The results were presented today at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting by Steven Frank, M.D.
, professor of Radiation Oncology and executive director of the Particle Therapy Institute at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. With a median follow-up of three years, the progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 83% and 83.5% for IMPT and IMRT, respectively, and IMPT was statistically non-inferior to IMRT.
There was a significant reduction of malnutrition with IMPT, with 24% of patients sustaining their nutrition with less than 5% weight loss during treatment compared with 14% of those receiving IMRT. Additionally, there was a significant reduction of feeding-tube dependence with IMPT at 28%, compared to 42% with IMRT. The results of this multi-center Phase III randomized trial provide evidence for IMPT as a new standard-of-care treatment approach for the management of head and neck tumors.
This is significant for patients as it represents a curative, de-intensified option compared to traditional radiation therapy.
