Radiotherapy treatments for head and neck cancer update

Ratko TA, Douglas GW, de Souza JA, Belinson SE, Aronson N
Record ID 32015000082
English
Authors' objectives: This report is an update of a Comparative Effectiveness Review (CER) published in final form in May 2010 on the benefits and harms of radiotherapy (RT) to treat patients with head and neck cancer (CER No. 20). RT modalities included two-dimensional RT (2DRT), three-dimensional conformal RT (3DCRT), intensity-modulated RT (IMRT), and proton-beam RT (PBT).
Authors' recommendations: New evidence on the comparative effectiveness of RT modalities for head and neck cancer is limited and heterogeneous for each comparison of 3DCRT versus IMRT or SBRT. We did not identify any evidence for PBT. New moderate-strength evidence enhances the CER No. 20 finding of reduced late xerostomia with IMRT compared with 3DCRT, with no relative change in other conclusions on adverse events or QOL. New evidence was insufficient to draw conclusions about the relative effects of IMRT and 3DCRT on overall survival or locoregional tumor control. New evidence is insufficient to draw conclusions on the comparative effectiveness of 3DCRT or IMRT versus SBRT or PBT.
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2014
URL for published report: http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/569/2018/head-neck-cancer-update-report-141208.pdf
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: United States
MeSH Terms
  • Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated
  • Radiotherapy
  • Radiotherapy, Conformal
Contact
Organisation Name: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Contact Address: Center for Outcomes and Evidence Technology Assessment Program, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. Tel: +1 301 427 1610; Fax: +1 301 427 1639;
Contact Name: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov
Contact Email: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov
Copyright: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.