title: Intensity-modulated proton therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Decreased radiation dose to normal structures and encouraging clinical outcomes.
abstract: Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) has the potential to spare dose to organs at risk (OAR) when compared to intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) while maintaining excellent clinical outcomes.
  
  
  
  Ten patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were identified for whom IMPT was planned; 9 patients also had a comparison photon-based IMRT plan generated. Dosimetric comparison of mean radiation dose to 29 adjacent OAR was performed. Disease control, survival, and toxicity outcomes were collected from the medical records.
  
  
  
  There were significant differences in mean doses in 15 of the 29 OAR; 13 OAR received lower mean dose with proton-based plans. Median follow-up was 24.5 months (range, 19-32 months). Two-year locoregional control was 100% and the 2-year overall survival was 88.9%.
  
  
  
  We observed dosimetric advantages conferred by IMPT compared to IMRT. Further study is needed to determine if these translate into reduced toxicity and/or improved disease control. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1886-E1895, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Emma B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Holliday
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.|Department of Radiotherapy, Beykent University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esengul
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kocak-Uzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Adam S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Garden
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D061766:Proton Therapy; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: chemotherapy; clinical outcomes; dosimetric planning study; intensity-modulated proton therapy; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; radiotherapy