Proton Versus Photon Radiotherapy in Adults With Primary Brain Tumors

Summary

This study will be done in adults with brain tumors having good prognosis requiring treatment with radiotherapy. The current practice for brain radiotherapy involves treatment using X rays (photon radiotherapy). Proton beam therapy is a more advanced form of delivering radiation, which allows the reduction of the dose of radiation to the parts of the brain surrounding the tumor. After treatment with photon radiotherapy, certain late effects of radiation, like memory decline, hormonal deficits, hearing loss, and worsening of neurological function, can occur in some patients. From the evaluation of dose profiling, proton beam therapy has the potential to reduce the possibility of side effects by reducing the dose to critical organs. However, there is no clinical data to demonstrate whether the theoretical dose reduction translates to a clinically meaningful benefit. In the proposed study, 156 patients will be randomly allocated to either proton or photon radiotherapy in 1: 1 ratio. The primary objective of the study is to explore whether proton therapy improves functional survival, which is life expectancy without recurrence, death, or complications from radiotherapy.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

* Primary brain tumors
* Age at irradiation: 18 to 70 years
* Karnofsky Performance Status ≥ 60
* Diagnosis (histopathological/ radiological) of primary brain tumor with an expected survival of \>5 years (e.g., grade 2-3 diffuse glioma, low-grade glial/ glioneuronal tumors, ependymoma, meningioma, pituitary tumors, schwannoma, craniopharyngioma, etc.)
* Planned for focal cranial radiotherapy
* Informed consent taken

Exclusion Criteria:

* Re-irradiation
* Palliative radiotherapy
* Multifocal or multicentric disease
* Planned for whole brain irradiation or craniospinal irradiation
* Planned for hypo-fractionated or stereotactic radiotherapy

Conditions6

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