Dose Escalation Using Hypoxia-adjusted Radiotherapy

DE-HyART is a randomized, non-blinded study that assesses the effects of combining IMRT (using SIB-Sequential planning) with dose-escalation to hypoxic sub-volume delineated using \[18-F\] FMISO. The treatment protocol will also include concurrent chemotherapy with cisplatin at standard uniform dosing.

Patients with HNSCC whose cancer is determined to originate from the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx will be selected. The included patients will be subjected to \[18F\] FMISO scan, labeled as baseline FMISO. Depending upon the result of the baseline FMISO, the patient will be either hypoxic or anoxic. Patients exhibiting no hypoxia in their tumor will be labeled as Arm 1 and act as an external cohort. Patients with hypoxia will be randomized (1:1) into two arms - Arms 2 and 3. Both arms will be subjected to chemoradiation by IMRT and concurrent chemotherapy with cisplatin at 40mg/m2. In Arm 3, the trial arm will receive an additional 10 Gy @ 2 Gy per fraction in phase II (total 80 Gy) to the HSV + 5mm isotropic margin.

One twenty-four patients will recruited in a 1:1 fashion between Arm 3 and Arm 2. The primary endpoint will be locoregional control and its possible increase in control.