Intensity-modulated radiotherapy for early glottic cancer: transition to a new standard of care?. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Samuels, Michael A; Freedman, Laura M; Elsayyad, Nagy
• Is Part Of: Future oncology. Volume 12:Number 22(2016)
• Page Start: 2615
• Page End: 2630
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: carotid injury -- cerebrovascular -- glottis -- IMRT -- intima -- larynx -- radiation -- stroke; Oncology -- Periodicals; 616.99405
• DOI: 10.2217/fon-2016-0156
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1479-6694

Abstract

For decades, the standard of care for radiation treatment of early larynx cancers has been conventional treatment using opposed lateral fields encompassing the larynx and overlying neck structures, including the adjacent carotid arteries. While intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has replaced conventional radiotherapy for all other head/neck cancer situations, the use of IMRT to treat early glottic cancers remains controversial. The article reviews the published experience with IMRT for this clinical situation and provides a detailed review of the literature on radiation-induced carotid toxicity and how it might apply to the controversy. Finally, we discuss whether the radiation oncology community should transition to IMRT as a new standard of care for the treatment of early glottic cancers.