Upgraded Radiotherapy System Shows Improved Survival in Postoperative Patients With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

According to a study published in Reports of Practical Oncology and Radiotherapy, an upgraded intensity-modulated, radiation therapy-centered postoperative radiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (H&N SCC) showed improved survival outcomes and less toxicities compared with the previous system.

Researchers aimed to evaluate the impact of an upgraded radiotherapy system on outcomes in patients with H&N SCC who underwent postoperative radiotherapy between June 2009 and July 2019. The patients were converted from a 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy to intensity-modulated radiation therapy and a planning policy with advanced procedures, which included online imaging guidance.

Of a total of 136 patients reviewed, more patients had an extracapsular extension in the upgraded-system group compared with the previous-system group. Fewer patients in the upgraded-system group had ≥ Grade 2 acute and late adverse events compared with the previous-system group. Differences in progression-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, locoregional progression-free survival, and overall survival were not significant between the 2 groups.

“The [intensity-modulated radiation therapy]-centered upgrade was beneficial for the postoperative patients with H&N SCC, because survival outcomes were sustained with less toxicities,” concluded the study authors.

Reference
Koiwai K, Hirasawa D, Sugimura M, et al. Impact of upgraded radiotherapy system on outcomes in postoperative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother. Published online December 29, 2022. doi:10.5603/RPOR.a2022.0120