Clinical Trial: Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy or 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy in Decreasing Hearing Loss in Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery for Parotid Tumors

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Unknown status
Study Type: Interventional




Official Title: A Multicenter Randomized Study of Cochlear Sparing Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy Versus Conventional Radiotherapy in Patients With Parotid Tumors

Brief Summary:

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Giving radiation therapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. It is not yet known whether intensity-modulated radiation therapy or 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy is more effective in decreasing hearing loss in patients undergoing radiation therapy for parotid gland cancer.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying intensity-modulated radiation therapy to see how well it works compared with 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy in decreasing hearing loss in patients who have undergone surgery for parotid tumors.