ARTFORCE Head & Neck (2-arm study)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
ARTFORCE: a randomized study with concomitant cisplatin and standard or adaptive high dose radiotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer
IRAS ID
165000
Contact name
Claudia Grimaldo
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI)
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
7 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
Preliminary studies have shown that head and neck cancers are less likely to return if they are targeted with high (above the standard) doses of radiation. With standard radiotherapy, the maximum dose that can be given to the tumour is limited by side-effects. These are due to healthy tissues surrounding the tumour receiving the full therapeutic radiation dose. This is why targeted radiotherapy (which aims to give the highest possible dose of radiation to the tumour while sparing the healthy tissue around it with a lower dose) has the potential to improve tumour control. However, it is also possible that by giving the areas surrounding the tumour low levels of radiation, microscopic disease that might be present (but not yet detectable using current technology), may not be eradicated.
ARTFORCE is a randomised, European, multicentre study aiming to recruit a total of 268 patients with locally-advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Patients will be randomised into two arms receiving either standard or targeted, dose-escalated radiotherapy. The study aims to determine which of these radiotherapy approaches is most appropriate to maximise tumour control and reduce treatment side-effects. It is also set to explore whether changes in proteins and genes (biomarkers) in patients’ blood and/or tumour can predict patients’ response to treatment.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0071
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jun 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion