Aim: The purpose of this study was to clarify the efficacy and toxicities of re-irradiation using proton beam therapy combined with weekly intra-arterial chemotherapy for recurrent oral cancer.
Methods: Between October 2009 and July 2014, 34 patients who had recurrent oral cancer were treated by proton beam therapy combined with intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy at the Southern Tohoku Proton Therapy Center, Japan.
Results: For all patients, the median follow-up was 25 months (range, 3-77 months). After treatment, 22 patients (65%) achieved a complete response, and 12 patients (35%) achieved a partial response at the primary tumor site. One-year and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were 62% and 42%, respectively. One-year and 2-year LC rates were 77% and 60%, respectively. No treatment-related deaths were observed during the treatment and follow-up periods.
Conclusion: Re-irradiation using proton beam therapy combined with weekly intra-arterial chemotherapy improved OS and local control rates compared with other treatment modalities and could become a new treatment modality for patients with recurrent oral cancer.
Keywords: head and neck cancer; intra-arterial chemotherapy; oral cancer; proton beam therapy; re-irradiation.
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.