Targeted radiotherapy
In October 2009, Dr Chris Nutting presented early results from a Cancer Research UK-funded radiotherapy trial called PARSPORT. The trial was run by The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden.
The trial tested a new technique for giving radiotherapy to people with head and neck cancer called intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). This type of treatment allows more accurate targeting of the patient’s tumour and helps to avoid damage to the salivary glands – a common side effect of radiotherapy to the head which can cause serious problems with speech and eating, and increase the chance of mouth ulcers and infections.
Trial results
The results of the trial found that after 12 months, only 39% of the 94 patients who had the new treatment suffered from dry mouth compared to 74% who had the traditional treatment, a dramatic improvement in quality of life.
Additional trials of IMRT for treating other cancers are currently underway, and the technique is being adopted by an increasing number of radiotherapy centres around the UK.