Research
The Department of Radiation Oncology at the Brown Cancer Center continues to be a national leader in clinical research.
Research Overview
Along with being a full member site of the NRG Oncology/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), we are a top enroller of Head and Neck cancer trials through the cooperative group setting, thus earning us a national reputation for Head and Neck Oncology. We also have a strong presence in investigator-initiated clinical trials focusing on lung, breast, pancreatic and liver malignancies. We also have a strong interest in re-irradiation protocols using stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).
Our robust physics department has also led to collaborative research endeavors within the department. We have ongoing investigations comparing different treatment platforms including arc-based SBRT and robotic systems. We have also developed collaborations with the Department of Bioimaging to investigate lung function in the setting of thoracic radiation for early diagnosis of radiation pneumonitis and prevention. We are currently developing protocols for analyzing tumor morphology for both diagnosis of early-stage tumors and assessing tumor response.
Faculty and residents present research findings on a national level. Over the past five years, highlights have included the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting, the ASTRO Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Conference, the ASTRO Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Conference, Radiosurgical Society Meeting, European Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ESTRO) International Conference on Innovative Approaches in Head & Neck Oncology (ICHNO), 4thAnnual World Conference on Lung Cancer in Beijing, China and the annual American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO) meeting.
Spine Mets Studies
| Study ID | Description |
|---|---|
| BCC-RAD-11-01 | Randomized Phase II trial comparing stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT) alone versus SRT plus vertebral augmentation procedure (VAP) for vertebral metastasis. |
| RTOG 0631 | Phase II/III study of image-guided radiosurgery or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for localized spine metastasis. |
Head and Neck Studies
| Study ID | Description |
|---|---|
| RTOG 1216 | Randomized Phase II/III trial comparing surgery and postoperative radiation with concurrent cisplatin versus docetaxel versus docetaxel and cetuximab for high-risk squamous cell cancer. |
| RTOG 1016 | Phase III trial comparing radiotherapy plus cetuximab versus chemoradiotherapy in HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. |
| RTOG 0920 | Phase III study of postoperative radiation therapy (IMRT) with or without cetuximab for locally advanced resected head and neck cancer. |
| RTOG 1008 | Randomized Phase II study comparing adjuvant radiation with chemotherapy versus radiation alone in high-risk salivary gland tumors. |
| RTOG 0912 | Randomized Phase II study of concurrent IMRT, paclitaxel, and pazopanib or placebo for anaplastic thyroid cancer. |
| Plant Exosomes | Clinical trial evaluating plant exosomes for reducing oral mucositis caused by chemotherapy and radiation. |
| RASH Study | Study on preventing cetuximab-related skin rash using doxycycline, sunscreen, hydrocortisone, and moisturizer. |
Lung Studies
| Study ID | Description |
|---|---|
| Trental / Vitamin E | Study evaluating pentoxifylline and vitamin E for preventing radiation-related toxicity in lung cancer patients receiving SABR. |
| RTOG 0538 | Phase III study comparing thoracic radiotherapy regimens in small cell lung cancer patients receiving cisplatin and etoposide. |
| RTOG 0839 | Randomized Phase II study of preoperative chemoradiotherapy with or without panitumumab followed by consolidation chemotherapy. |
| RTOG 0937 | Randomized Phase II study comparing prophylactic cranial irradiation alone versus with additional extracranial irradiation. |
| RTOG 1106 | Phase II trial of adaptive radiotherapy using PET/CT imaging in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). |
| RTOG 1306 | Randomized Phase II study of individualized combined therapy for stage III NSCLC. |
| BCC-RAD-11-02 | Feasibility study using 4D CT imaging to evaluate lung strain during radiation therapy. |
Breast Studies
| Study ID | Description |
|---|---|
| BCC-AHFRT-10 | Phase II study of accelerated hypo fractionated radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery in underserved patients. |
| NSABP-51 / RTOG 1304 | Phase III trial evaluating radiation therapy in patients who convert from node-positive to node-negative after chemotherapy. |
Brain Tumor Studies
| Study ID | Description |
|---|---|
| RTOG 1205 | Randomized Phase II trial comparing bevacizumab with re-irradiation versus bevacizumab alone for recurrent glioblastoma. |
