The guideline also addresses the role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in treating OPSCC, examining the three existing published randomized trials examining IC followed by CRT for the disease. Because none of these trials found an improvement in overall survival yet all found increased toxicity following IC, the guideline strongly recommends that IC should not be delivered routinely to patients with OPSCC.

The guideline was based on a systematic literature review of studies published from January 1990 through December 2014. A total of 2,615 abstracts were retrieved from PubMed, and the 119 articles that met inclusion criteria were abstracted into evidence tables and evaluated by a 16-member task force of experts in oropharyngeal cancer, including radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, otolaryngologists and a patient representative. The Clinical Practice Statement was approved by ASTRO's Board of Directors following a six-week period of public comment. The guideline has been endorsed by the European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).


For a copy of the complete guideline, contact ASTRO's media relations team at press@astro.org or 703-286-1600, or download it online. Learn more about Practical Radiation Oncology at www.practicalradonc.org.

Additional information on oropharyngeal cancer and radiation therapy:

Digital brochure: Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers
Video: Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers, An Introduction to Radiation Therapy
Information about RT and head and neck cancers from RTAnswers.org
Additional patient videos on RT for various disease sites
View all of the ASTRO Clinical Practice Statements
1 Smith BD, Haffty BG, Wilson LD et al. Smith BD, Haffty BG, Wilson LD et al. The future of radiation oncology in the United States from 2010 to 2020: will supply keep pace with demand? J Clin Oncol. 2010 Dec 10; 28(35): 5160-5.

2 Chaturvedi AK, Engels EA, Pfeiffer RM, et al. Human papillomavirus and rising oropharyngeal cancer incidence in the United States. J Clin Oncol. Nov 10 2011;29(32):4294-4301.

3 Gillison ML, D'Souza G, Westra W, et al. Distinct risk factor profiles for human papillomavirus type 16-positive and human papillomavirus type 16-negative head and neck cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst. Mar 19 2008;100(6):407-420.


ABOUT ASTRO
ASTRO is the premier radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologist, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals that specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes three medical journals, International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (www.redjournal.org), Practical Radiation Oncology (www.practicalradonc.org) and Advances in Radiation Oncology (www.advancesradonc.org); developed and maintains an extensive patient website, RT Answers (www.rtanswers.org); and created the Radiation Oncology Institute (www.roinstitute.org), a nonprofit foundation to support research and education efforts around the world that enhance and confirm the critical role of radiation therapy in improving cancer treatment. To learn more about ASTRO, visit www.astro.org.

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