Feasibility Study of Incorporating 18F-FDG-PET Imaging in Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer

Feasibility Study of Incorporating 18F-FDG-PET Imaging in Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer

The purpose of this trial is to study fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)-based dose escalation using intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

The dose escalation, based on the FDG-PET signal, is incorporated in the first ten fractions of the radiotherapeutic treatment. The total amount of fractions is 32, equal to a standard radiotherapeutic treatment for these types of cancers.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with a proven histological squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx (only T3-4 NO or Tany N+), hypopharynx, oropharynx
• Patients who did not undergo surgery for the primary tumor location
• Patients with a Karnofsky performance score of 70% or more
• Written informed consent for participation in this trial

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other malignancy except for non-melanoma skin cancer
• Prior irradiation to the head and neck region