Adjustable Intensity Radiation Therapy May Extend Lifespan in Head and Neck Cancer

Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer: A Prolonged Cancer-Related Survival

A new study presented at the 2013 annual meeting of the American Society of Radiation Oncology has shown that intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) can prolong cancer-related survival for patients with head and neck cancer compared to other radiotherapy methods.

IMRT is an advanced radiotherapy method that delivers radiation doses to the tumor or targeted body area. It adjusts the radiation intensity and defines the target using a three-dimensional image to minimize damage to normal tissues. Unlike other radiotherapy methods that use a single beam of radiation, IMRT splits radiation into thousands of thin beams, allowing radiation to enter the body from different angles and intersect in the cancerous area.

IMRT can be used as a second chance of treatment for cancer patients who have not had satisfactory results from previous radiotherapy or to treat cancerous areas near sensitive organs more safely. Recently, it has become a preferred method for head and neck cancers.

A study examined cancer patients treated with IMRT and other radiotherapy methods from 1999 to 2007 to investigate the effect on cancer development and life span of patients. The results showed that different radiotherapy methods did not make a difference in survival. However, positive results have been observed recently, especially in treating head and neck cancer patients.

The study included 3172 head and neck cancer patients, 1056 patients treated with IMRT, and 2116 with other radiotherapy methods. The average life expectancy of patients who underwent IMRT was 40 months, with cancer-related survival at 84.1%, compared to 66% for other radiotherapy methods. This shows that IMRT prolongs cancer-related survival by an average of 18%.

IMRT delivers radiotherapy to the targeted area, minimizing side effects by giving less damage to normal tissues, and can provide positive results in cancer treatment. It should be considered a standard treatment for head and neck cancer.

In administering cancer treatment to patients, oncologists aim to reduce side effects as much as possible, as patients can encounter long-term side effects such as difficulty in speaking and swallowing, dry mouth, and complications in the teeth.