Re-irradiation of Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the toxicity and local tumor control of proton therapy for patients with head and neck cancer in a previously irradiated field. Standard of care for recurrent or secondary malignancies in a previously irradiated field is surgery. For inoperable patients or residual tumor after surgery, standard of care would be palliative chemotherapy. For a small subset of patients (good performance status, small radiation fields) re-irradiation can be performed. In this study the established concept of re-irradiation with photons will be transferred to proton radiotherapy. Proton therapy has the advantage of a steeper dose gradient to normal tissues, thus-theoretical advantages for lower toxicity.