MRI-Guided radiation boost shows promise for tough head and neck cancers
NCT ID NCT02031250
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This phase 2 trial tested whether giving an extra dose of radiation to the most resistant parts of a tumor, identified by a special MRI scan (DCE-MRI), could improve outcomes for people with advanced head and neck cancer. 106 participants received standard chemoradiation (cisplatin or carboplatin plus IMRT) with or without the targeted boost. The goal was to see if the boost improved disease-free survival and local tumor control without increasing side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Cisplatin or Carboplatin (chemotherapy) plus intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with a boost to hypoperfused tumor volumes
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could improve local tumor control and survival for patients with poor-prognosis head and neck cancer without increasing side effects.
- What could go wrong
- This is a phase 2 trial with only 106 participants, so results may not be definitive. The added radiation boost could increase toxicity, and the benefit may not be large enough to change standard care.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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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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University of Michigan Hospital
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
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Veterans Affairs (VA) Ann Arbor Healthcare System
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48105, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a new drug boost the power of chemoradiation against head and neck cancer?
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- Scientists hunt for blood markers to unmask hidden aggressive tumors
- Liver damage study in head and neck cancer abandoned after just 2 patients
- New antibody drug takes aim at Hard-to-Treat cancers