Radiation that adapts: a sharper aim to save swallowing in head and neck cancer
NCT ID NCT06216171
First seen Oct 20, 2026 · Last updated Oct 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers are testing whether adaptive radiotherapy can reduce swallowing difficulties and improve quality of life for people with newly diagnosed oropharyngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer. Participants receive either adaptive radiotherapy, which adjusts the radiation plan to changes in the tumor and surrounding tissues, or standard image-guided radiotherapy without online adaptation. The trial compares how each approach affects swallowing function and side effects. The study aims to see if adaptive radiotherapy offers a better balance between treating the cancer and preserving everyday functions like swallowing.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- adaptive radiotherapy
- What this could lead to
- If adaptive radiotherapy works, it could become a new standard that helps people with head and neck cancer swallow more comfortably and enjoy a better quality of life during and after treatment.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small study with 30 participants, so any benefits may not hold up in larger groups. Adaptive radiotherapy also requires more imaging and planning, which can lengthen treatment sessions and add complexity.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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30 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2024
- Finished
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Sep 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: ECOG 0/1 No prior cancer treatment Exclusion Criteria: ECOG 2-4 Prior cancer treatment
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Maja Guberina
Essen, 45147, Germany
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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