Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
Proton Therapy Delivery and Its Clinical Application in Select Solid Tumor Malignancies
Published on: February 6, 2019
PRONTOX - proton therapy to reduce acute normal tissue toxicity in locally advanced non-small-cell lung carcinomas
Sebastian Zschaeck1, Monique Simon2, Steffen Löck3
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, Dresden, 01307, Germany. sebastian.zschaeck@uniklinikum-dresden.de.
Background:
Primary radiochemotherapy with photons is the standard treatment for locally advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Acute radiation-induced side effects such as oesophagitis and radiation pneumonitis limit patients' quality of life, and the latter can be potentially life-threatening. Due to its distinct physical characteristics, proton therapy enables better sparing of normal tissues, which is supposed to translate into a reduction of radiation-induced side effects.
Methods/Design:
This is a single-centre, prospective, randomised controlled, phase II clinical trial to compare photon to proton radiotherapy up to 66 Gy (RBE) with concomitant standard chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced-stage NSCLC. Patients will be allocated in a 1:1 ratio to photon or proton therapy, and treatment will be delivered slightly accelerated with six fractions of 2 Gy (RBE) per week.
Discussion:
The overall aim of the study is to show a decrease of early and intermediate radiation-induced toxicity using proton therapy. For the primary endpoint of the study we postulate a decrease of radiation-induced side effects (oesophagitis and pneumonitis grade II or higher) from 39 to 12%. Secondary endpoints are locoregional and distant failure, overall survival and late side effects.
Trial Registration:
Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with Identifier NCT02731001 on 1 April 2016.
