Can less radiation be safer without sacrificing cancer control?
NCT ID NCT02528955
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tested whether giving lower doses of radiation after surgery for head and neck cancer could reduce long-term side effects like dry mouth and trouble swallowing, while still keeping the cancer from coming back. About 200 patients with certain stages of oral, throat, or voice box cancer received one of three reduced-radiation plans. The goal was to see if the cancer recurrence rate after two years stayed low enough to make these gentler treatments a new standard.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
radiation therapy
What this could lead to
If successful, this could show that some patients can get lower radiation doses after surgery, reducing long-term side effects like dry mouth and swallowing problems without increasing cancer recurrence.
What could go wrong
This is a Phase 2 study with 200 patients, so results are not definitive. Lower radiation might lead to higher recurrence rates in some patients, and the findings may not apply to all head and neck cancers.
Disclaimer
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the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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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
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Locations
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Dept. of Radiooncology, University Hospital
Erlangen, 91054, Germany