IMPT versus IMRT for newly diagnosed nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma

A retrospective cohort study at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY) compared curative-intent radiotherapy with intensity-modulated proton therapy versus intensity-modulated radiotherapy for newly diagnosed nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. The IMPT group had significantly reduced acute toxicity in comparison with the IMRT group (grade 2 or higher OR 0.15; p=0.01). Grade 3 toxicity (OR 0.21; p=0.15), two-year LRFS (100% versus 86.2%; p=0.08), and two-year OS (100% versus 94.1%; p=0,42) were nonsignificantly better with IMPT compared with IMRT.