Proton Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers

Overview

Journal Cureus

Specialty Biomedical Engineering

Date 2024 Nov 4

PMID 39493189

Authors

Muhammad Sami

Muhammad Yousuf

Qasim Hashmi

Muneeb Ahmad

Mohammad Ghilman

Huzaifa Shareef

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Head and neck (HnN) cancers are among the most common cancers in the world. Proton therapy (PT) is one of the latest advancements in the treatment modalities of cancers. Proton therapy is specifically used to treat HnN cancer patients due to its less toxic effects on the surrounding critical structures. Keeping in view the opportunities for further advancements, there is a lot of literature covering PT in HnN cancer patients. However, few compiled studies are not enough to compare the toxicities, overall survival (OS), local control (LC), and quality of life (QoL) of PT with that of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The objective of this review is to compile and summarize the literature available on the toxicities, OS, LC, and QoL in HnN cancer patients post PT. We have gathered and summarized the literature found under the keyword "proton therapy for head and neck cancers". Proton therapy is a preferable option over IMRT because it isolates tumors of the HnN, reduces exposure of healthy cells to radiation, and allows accurate tumor scanning using the pencil beam technique. In view of this article, we can say that PT is a preferable mode of radiotherapy for HnN cancer patients in view of its accuracy and lower incidents of acute and late toxicities.

References

Mendenhall W, Morris C, Amdur R, Werning J, Hinerman R, Villaret D . Radiotherapy alone or combined with surgery for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck. Head Neck. 2004; 26(2):154-62. DOI: 10.1002/hed.10380. View

Brennan B . Nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2006; 1:23. PMC: 1559589. DOI: 10.1186/1750-1172-1-23. View

Kandula S, Zhu X, Garden A, Gillin M, Rosenthal D, Ang K . Spot-scanning beam proton therapy vs intensity-modulated radiation therapy for ipsilateral head and neck malignancies: a treatment planning comparison. Med Dosim. 2013; 38(4):390-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.meddos.2013.05.001. View

Herrero R, Castellsague X, Pawlita M, Lissowska J, Kee F, Balaram P . Human papillomavirus and oral cancer: the International Agency for Research on Cancer multicenter study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003; 95(23):1772-83. DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djg107. View

Johnson D, Burtness B, Leemans C, Lui V, Bauman J, Grandis J . Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2020; 6(1):92. PMC: 7944998. DOI: 10.1038/s41572-020-00224-3. View

Katz T, Mendenhall W, Morris C, Amdur R, Hinerman R, Villaret D . Malignant tumors of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Head Neck. 2002; 24(9):821-9. DOI: 10.1002/hed.10143. View

Rutz H, Weber D, Goitein G, Ares C, Bolsi A, Lomax A . Postoperative spot-scanning proton radiation therapy for chordoma and chondrosarcoma in children and adolescents: initial experience at paul scherrer institute. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2007; 71(1):220-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.09.014. View

Kothe A, Feuvret L, Weber D, Safai S, Lomax A, Fattori G . Assessment of Radiation-Induced Optic Neuropathy in a Multi-Institutional Cohort of Chordoma and Chondrosarcoma Patients Treated with Proton Therapy. Cancers (Basel). 2021; 13(21). PMC: 8582447. DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215327. View

Kam M, Leung S, Zee B, Chau R, Suen J, Mo F . Prospective randomized study of intensity-modulated radiotherapy on salivary gland function in early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. J Clin Oncol. 2007; 25(31):4873-9. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2007.11.5501. View

10.

Chan A, Liebsch N . Proton radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. J Surg Oncol. 2008; 97(8):697-700. DOI: 10.1002/jso.21013. View

11.

Romesser P, Cahlon O, Scher E, Zhou Y, Berry S, Rybkin A . Proton beam radiation therapy results in significantly reduced toxicity compared with intensity-modulated radiation therapy for head and neck tumors that require ipsilateral radiation. Radiother Oncol. 2016; 118(2):286-92. PMC: 4980117. DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2015.12.008. View

12.

Pommier P, Liebsch N, Deschler D, Lin D, McIntyre J, Barker 2nd F . Proton beam radiation therapy for skull base adenoid cystic carcinoma. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2006; 132(11):1242-9. DOI: 10.1001/archotol.132.11.1242. View

13.

Shih H, Sherman J, Nachtigall L, Colvin M, Fullerton B, Daartz J . Proton therapy for low-grade gliomas: Results from a prospective trial. Cancer. 2015; 121(10):1712-9. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.29237. View

14.

Warnakulasuriya S . Global epidemiology of oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Oral Oncol. 2008; 45(4-5):309-16. DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2008.06.002. View

15.

Zenda S, Kohno R, Kawashima M, Arahira S, Nishio T, Tahara M . Proton beam therapy for unresectable malignancies of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2010; 81(5):1473-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2010.08.009. View

16.

Sio T, Lin H, Shi Q, Gunn G, Cleeland C, Lee J . Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy Versus Intensity Modulated Photon Radiation Therapy for Oropharyngeal Cancer: First Comparative Results of Patient-Reported Outcomes. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2016; 95(4):1107-14. PMC: 5409532. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.02.044. View

17.

Gunn G, Blanchard P, Garden A, Zhu X, Fuller C, Mohamed A . Clinical Outcomes and Patterns of Disease Recurrence After Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy for Oropharyngeal Squamous Carcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2016; 95(1):360-367. PMC: 5474303. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.02.021. View

18.

Munzenrider J, Liebsch N . Proton therapy for tumors of the skull base. Strahlenther Onkol. 1999; 175 Suppl 2:57-63. DOI: 10.1007/BF03038890. View

19.

Marur S, Forastiere A . Head and neck cancer: changing epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Mayo Clin Proc. 2008; 83(4):489-501. DOI: 10.4065/83.4.489. View

20.

Daly M, Chen A, Bucci M, El-Sayed I, Xia P, Kaplan M . Intensity-modulated radiation therapy for malignancies of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006; 67(1):151-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2006.07.1389. View