Proton therapy for head and neck cancer: expanding the therapeutic window. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Use of proton beam therapy has expanded, with the number of proton centres rapidly increasing not only in the USA but also worldwide. The physical characteristics of the proton beam offer important advantages versus widely used photon techniques in terms of radiation precision. In head and neck cancer in particular, proton beam therapy is uniquely suited for the complex anatomy of tumours and sensitive surrounding organs. De-intensification and personalisation of treatment to limit toxicity are of renewed importance in the context of human papilloma virus-associated disease, in which young patients will be cured but bear the consequences of adverse effects for decades. Comparisons of radiation dose distributions between photon and proton techniques suggest considerable benefit in terms of toxicity sparing, but this has only recently been confirmed by substantial clinical data. In this Review, we attempt to define the role of this method in the contemporary multidisciplinary management of various types of head and neck cancer.

publication date

  • April 26, 2017

Research

keywords

  • Carcinoma
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms
  • Oropharyngeal Neoplasms
  • Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms
  • Proton Therapy
  • Skull Base Neoplasms

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85018161808

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/S1470-2045(17)30179-1

PubMed ID

  • 28456587

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 18

issue

  • 5