SHREVEPORT, La. — Proton therapy significantly improved survival outcomes for patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer compared with conventional radiation therapy, according to a large randomized clinical trial published in The Lancet.
The Phase III study, led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, followed 440 patients treated at 21 medical centers across the United States. After five years, 90.9 percent of patients who received proton therapy were alive, compared with 81 percent of patients treated with traditional radiation therapy.
The trial is the largest randomized study to date comparing the two treatment approaches for oropharyngeal cancer, which affects the mouth and throat. In addition to higher survival rates, patients treated with proton therapy experienced fewer treatment-related side effects, including reduced dependence on feeding tubes, fewer swallowing difficulties, less dry mouth and higher immune cell counts.
Sanford R. Katz, MD, a radiation oncologist at Willis Knighton Cancer Center, was a co-author of the study. Researchers from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Emory University and the University of Pennsylvania also participated.
Proton therapy uses charged particles to deliver radiation directly to tumors while limiting exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. The precision of the treatment is intended to reduce long-term damage and complications associated with radiation.
Katz was involved in patient evaluation and enrollment, oversight of patient care and collaboration with MD Anderson researchers on data collection and analysis.
“The results of this study provide level 1 evidence that proton therapy should now be considered a standard-of-care treatment option for patients with oropharyngeal cancer,” Katz said. “This therapy offers not only improved survival but also a better quality of life.”
The findings are expected to influence clinical decision-making and insurance coverage considerations for proton therapy in head and neck cancer treatment.