Study of Carbon Ion Radiation Therapy Alone for Treating Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

What this Trial Is About

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare type of tumor found in the head and neck region. Because these tumors grow slowly but have a high risk of spreading, additional radiation treatment is often needed. This study, called ACCO, is a phase II, open-label trial led by Heidelberg University Hospital, focused on using only carbon ion radiation for this tumor type. The goal is to see if carbon ion therapy alone can improve local tumor control rates from 60% to 70% over five years. The study compares two radiation approaches one group receives only carbon ion irradiation in 22 sessions over about 4 weeks, while the other group receives a combination of photon intensity-modulated radiation therapy IMRT and a carbon ion boost. This shorter schedule of carbon ion therapy is being evaluated for its effectiveness. Patients will be followed for five years after starting treatment to assess outcomes. Participants will undergo regular assessments including monitoring for tumor progression, survival, side effects during and after treatment, and quality of life. The primary measure is freedom from tumor progression in the treated area after five years. Secondary measures include progression-free survival, overall survival at 3 and 5 years, and both acute and late treatment-related toxicities. The study aims to enroll 175 patients and will closely track their health throughout the follow-up period.

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma and Carbon Ion Only Irradiation