A multicentric randomized controlled phase III trial of adaptive and 18F-FDG-PET-guided dose-redistribution in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (ARTFORCE)

Anna Liza M P de Leeuw*, Jordi Giralt, Yungan Tao, Sergi Benavente, Thanh-Vân France Nguyen, Frank J P Hoebers, Ann Hoeben, Chris H J Terhaard, Lip Wai Lee, Signe Friesland, Roel J H M Steenbakkers, Lisa Tans, Jolien Heukelom, Mutamba T Kayembe, Simon R van Kranen, Harry Bartelink, Coen R N Rasch, Jan-Jakob Sonke, Olga Hamming-Vrieze*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This multicenter randomized phase III trial evaluated whether locoregional control of patients with LAHNSCC could be improved by fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)-guided dose-escalation while minimizing the risk of increasing toxicity using a dose-redistribution and scheduled adaptation strategy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with T3-4-N0-3-M0 LAHNSCC were randomly assigned (1:1) to either receive a dose distribution ranging from 64-84 Gy/35 fractions with adaptation at the 10thfraction (rRT) or conventional 70 Gy/35 fractions (cRT). Both arms received concurrent three-cycle 100 mg/m cisplatin. Primary endpoints were 2-year locoregional control (LRC) and toxicity. Primary analysis was based on the intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: Due to slow accrual, the study was prematurely closed (at 84 %) after randomizing 221 eligible patients between 2012 and 2019 to receive rRT (N = 109) or cRT (N = 112). The 2-year LRC estimate difference of 81 % (95 %CI 74-89 %) vs. 74 % (66-83 %) in the rRT and cRT arm, respectively, was not found statistically significant (HR 0.75, 95 %CI 0.43-1.31,P=.31). Toxicity prevalence and incidence rates were similar between trial arms, with exception for a significant increased grade = 3 pharyngolaryngeal stenoses incidence rate in the rRT arm (0 versus 4 %,P=.05). In post-hoc subgroup analyses, rRT improved LRC for patients with N0-1 disease (HR 0.21, 95 %CI 0.05-0.93) and oropharyngeal cancer (0.31, 0.10-0.95), regardless of HPV. CONCLUSION: Adaptive and dose redistributed radiotherapy enabled dose-escalation with similar toxicity rates compared to conventional radiotherapy. While FDG-PET-guided dose-escalation did overall not lead to significant tumor control or survival improvements, post-hoc results showed improved locoregional control for patients with N0-1 disease or oropharyngeal cancer treated with rRT.
Original languageEnglish
Article number110281
Number of pages9
JournalRadiotherapy and Oncology
Volume196
Early online date16 Apr 2024
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 16 Apr 2024

Keywords

  • 18F-FDG PET
  • Adaptive radiotherapy
  • Chemoradiation
  • Dose escalation
  • Dose painting
  • Head and neck cancer
  • Oropharynx cancer
  • RCT
  • SCCHN

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