Toxicities may be reduced with PBR versus standard external beam radiotherapy.
Proton beam radiotherapy (PBR) has a unique Bragg peak that enables the highest dose of radiation to be deposited within the targeted area with virtually no resulting distal dose. This technique potentially limits normal tissue toxicity.
To test the safety and effectiveness of PBR in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), investigators conducted a prospective, open-label, single-group phase II study in which 64 patients with unresectable stage IIIA/IIIB disease received concurrent weekly carboplatin-paclitaxel with radiation (74 Gy); 31% received induction and 28% received adjuvant chemotherapy.
Median overall survival (the primary objective) was 26.5 months, and 5-year progression-free survival was 22%; 48% of patients failed trea…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardGenentech; AstraZeneca; Boehringer-Ingelheim; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Clinical Care Options; Heron; Takeda; Ariad; MedIQ; Targeted Healthcare Communications; Novartis; OncLive; Roche; TRM Oncology
RoyaltiesUpToDate
Grant/Research SupportMedimmune; NIH/National Cancer Institute; Millennium; Genentech; Polaris Pharmaceuticals; Seattle Genetics; Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals; SWOG–Hope Foundation; American Cancer Society; Department of Defense; GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals; Merck; Eli Lilly; Takeda; Bristol-Myers Squibb
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardGenentech; AstraZeneca; Boehringer-Ingelheim; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Clinical Care Options; Heron; Takeda; Ariad; MedIQ; Targeted Healthcare Communications; Novartis; OncLive; Roche; TRM Oncology
RoyaltiesUpToDate
Grant/Research SupportMedimmune; NIH/National Cancer Institute; Millennium; Genentech; Polaris Pharmaceuticals; Seattle Genetics; Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals; SWOG–Hope Foundation; American Cancer Society; Department of Defense; GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals; Merck; Eli Lilly; Takeda; Bristol-Myers Squibb