A Better Option for Throat Cancer Treatment

If you or someone you love is facing throat cancer, you want every advantage possible. A major new study shows that a type of radiation called proton therapy may help patients live longer and feel better during treatment.

This matters because proton therapy is available right here in Oklahoma at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, part of OU Health, the University of Oklahoma's academic health system. To better understand these benefits, let's take a closer look at what the latest research reveals.

What the Research Found

A large clinical trial published in The Lancet, one of the world's top medical journals, studied 440 patients at 21 cancer centers across the country, including Stephenson Cancer Center. Researchers wanted to know how proton therapy compared to traditional radiation for treating oropharyngeal cancer, which affects the tonsils and back of the tongue. This is the most common type of head and neck cancer.

The study demonstrates that Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) significantly improves survival rates compared to traditional radiation, and the results were striking. Patients who received proton therapy were 10% more likely to be alive five years after treatment than those who got traditional radiation. Both treatments controlled the cancer equally well, so the difference came down to how the treatments affected the rest of the body.

Why Proton Therapy Makes a Difference

Traditional radiation passes all the way through your body. Proton therapy is different. It stops at a specific depth, right where the tumor is, which means less radiation reaches healthy tissue.

"The rates of cancer coming back were approximately the same in both groups, so the longer survival time wasn't due to the cancer itself," said Dr. Christina Henson, M.D., study co-author and Stephenson Cancer Center radiation oncologist. "There was likely less effect on the immune system with proton therapy, which may have translated to improved survival outcomes."

Patients in the study who received proton therapy also had fewer side effects. Their white blood cell counts stayed higher, fewer needed feeding tubes and they maintained their weight better throughout treatment.

What This Means for You

Stephenson Cancer Center is Oklahoma’s only National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center, giving patients access to advanced treatments and leading experts involved in research like this study.

The strength of an academic health system like OU Health means patient care is delivered by teams of specialists who bring the latest discoveries directly into the clinic. The same physicians who lead major research studies, such as Dr. Henson, also design each of our patient’s treatment plans, ensuring care guided by the newest science. This expertise is especially critical for head and neck cancers, where treatment must protect the structures that allow you to speak and swallow.

"We treat many patients with proton therapy at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, and we fully expect the results of this study to make proton therapy an option for many more people," Dr. Henson said.

At OU Health, our doctors aren't just following medical advances. They are creating them. That connection between research and patient care is what sets an academic health system apart.

Ready to Learn More?

Read the full study from The Lancet, “Proton versus photon radiotherapy for patients with oropharyngeal cancer in the USA: a multicentre, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority phase 3 trial.”

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with head and neck cancer and want to explore your treatment options, the team at Stephenson Cancer Center is here to help. To schedule an appointment or second opinion, complete this form or give us a call toll-free at (855) 750-2273.

Visit OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center for more information about proton therapy or to schedule a consultation.