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Proton Versus Photon Therapy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas.

PRORADNOR-RCT Proton Versus Photon Therapy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas. A Randomised, Multicentre, Phase III Clinical Trial.

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07580300
Acronym
PRORADNOR-RCT
Enrollment
400
Registered
2026-05-12
Start date
2026-04-28
Completion date
2055-04-28
Last updated
2026-05-15

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

HNSCC

Keywords

HNSCC, Proton

Brief summary

A national, randomized, clinical trial (phase III) investigating radiotherapy with protons compared with photons for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck area eligible for radiotherapy, either radical or postoperative, with curative intent. Comparative dose plans with protons and photons will be prepared, and the probability of toxicity evaluated with NTCP models. Patients with presumed benefit from protons will be randomized 1:1 to treatment with protons or photons. The number of randomized participants will be 400. The primary endpoint is "combined toxicity burden" - dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, pain and affected speech in the period after the end of radiotherapy to 12 months after treatment.

Interventions

Proton versus Photon

Sponsors

Oslo University Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER
Klinbeforsk
CollaboratorOTHER
South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Participant randomized 1:1 to treatment with proton or photon radiotherapy

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Signed informed consent. 2. Age ≥ 40 years. 3. Histological or cytological verified squamous cell carcinoma of the following head and neck regions; oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx or larynx. 4. Planned for standard radiotherapy with curative intent, either as definitive or postoperative treatment with or without concomitant chemotherapy (cisplatin). 5. ECOG performance status 0-2. 6. Ability to fill in patient questionnaires and comply with study procedures. 7. Able to answer questionnaires in Norwegian or English. 8. Willing to travel to Oslo or Bergen for proton therapy if randomised to experimental arm.

Exclusion criteria

1. Glottic cancers, cT1-T2 cN0 cM0. 2. Nasopharyngeal carcinomas, sino-nasal cancers, and head and neck salivary gland carcinomas. 3. Distant metastasis. 4. Previous radiotherapy to the head and neck. 5. Patients with pacemakers and/or implanted defibrillators. 6. Prior malignancy within the last 5 years. Not including radically resected non-melanoma skin cancer or low-risk early-stage prostate cancer. 7. Not able to participate due to equipment restrictions (weight limit treatment board 150 kg). 8. Any serious and/or unstable pre-existing medical, psychiatric, or other condition that could, at the investigator's opinion, interfere with the participant's safety or study participation.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
The combined burden of patient-reported dysphagia, xerostomia, pain and speech measured as the area under the curve (AUC) with EORTC QLQ-H&N43 at baseline, end of treatment, 3-, 6- and 12-months following radiotherapy.12 Months

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Time from date of randomisation to date of loco-regional failure, distant metastasis or death from all causes, whichever comes first.10 Years
Occurrence of at least one event grade 2 toxicity as defined by CTCAE v5.0 at 12 months.Occurrence of at least one event grade 3 toxicity as defined by CTCAE v5.0 at 12 months.Occurrence of at least one event grade 4 toxicity as defined by CTCAE v5.0.12 Months
Time from date of randomisation to date of death (all causes).10 Years
The combined toxicity burden of dysphagia, xerostomia, pain and speech measured with QLQ-H&N43 5 years after treatment.5 YearsToxicity burden measured with QLQ-H\&N43
Time from date of randomisation to the first documented loco-regional failure.3 Years

Countries

Norway

Contacts

CONTACTBarbro Berggren, Cand.Scient
barbbe@ous-hf.no004722934000
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORHanne Eide, MD PhD

Oslo University Hospital

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 16, 2026