CCTG HN10 results presented at ASTRO 2024 Wednesday, October 02, 2024 The CCTG HN10 (EVADER) results were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2024 Annual Meeting in Washington DC. The late breaking results concluded that radiotherapy to some of the lymph node areas can be safely excluded to decrease side effects without compromising tumour control. HN10 study lead Dr. Scott Bratman presenting “The study demonstrated the safety of a novel de-escalation treatment strategy for these patients and a reduction in the volume of radiotherapy was possible without sacrificing cure rates,” says study lead Dr. Scott Bratman, a clinician-scientist and radiation oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network.Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is one of the most common forms of head and neck cancer. Although it is often associated with other risk factors, OPSCC related to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has seen a dramatic increase globally.Radiotherapy is frequently used to treat OPSCC patients and is aimed at the tumour site including lymph nodes in the neck. The side effects of this treatment can have a long-lasting impact on patients’ quality of life.The results of HN10 have shown that a reduction in radiotherapy can be safely performed, and this de-escalation strategy should continue to be investigated in rigorously conducted clinical trials. Importantly, this de-escalation strategy could be combined with others that are currently under investigation. HN10 (Oral, Late Breaking Special Session) - A phase II single arm trial of elective volume adjusted de-escalation radiotherapy (EVADER) in patients with low-risk HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
