Am J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg | Volume 4, Issue 1 | Research Article | Open Access

Time to Treatment Analysis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Proton Therapy

Danielle Arons, Gregory S Alexander, Antony I Koroulakis, Mark J Zakhary, Jason K Molitoris, Robert C Miller, William F Regine and Matthew E Witek*

1University of Maryland, School of Medicine, USA
2Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, USA
#Both authors contributed equally to the work

*Correspondance to: Matthew E Witek 

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Abstract

Aim: To define treatment planning times for patients with head and neck cancers undergoing curative-intent proton therapy at a regional academic proton center.

Methods: We performed a retrospective institutional review board approved study of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancers treated with curative-intent proton therapy at a single center from 2015 to 2020. Time from CT simulation to initiation of treatment was recorded for each disease site and compared using a one-way ANOVA.

Results: We identified 177 patients that met our inclusion criteria of which 53 (30%) had oropharynx, 44 (25%) paranasal sinus, 27 (15%) salivary gland, 22 (12%) oral cavity, 20 (11%) nasopharynx, and 11 (6%) cutaneous squamous cell cancers. Median time from simulation to treatment initiation was 21 days with locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma exhibiting the longest time at 27days (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Proton therapy time from simulation to treatment was similar across most disease sites. The diffuse pattern of perineural disease spread common to locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas suggests the need to optimized work flow to ensure timely treatment initiation.

Keywords:

Proton therapy; Head and neck cancer; Dosimetry; Treatment planning time

Citation:

Arons D, Alexander GS, Kouralakis AI, Zakary MJ, Molitoris JK, Miller RC. Time to Treatment Analysis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Proton Therapy. Am J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2020; 3(8): 1116..

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