New Study Shows Shorter, Less Toxic Treatment Effective for HPV-Related Throat Cancer

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic has found that a shorter and less intensive treatment regimen can effectively manage HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+OPSCC), a type of throat cancer linked to human papillomavirus. Typically, treatment involves seven weeks of daily radiation and chemotherapy or surgery followed by extended radiation therapy, which, while effective, often results in significant long-term side effects such as dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, changes in taste, and jawbone issues, greatly impacting patients' quality of life.

The new approach, detailed in the published study in The Lancet Oncology, involves minimally invasive surgery followed by a reduced two-week course of radiation therapy called de-escalated adjuvant radiotherapy (DART). This regimen uses approximately half the radiation dose and a fifth of the standard chemotherapy dose. The trial compared this de-escalated treatment to standard therapy in 228 patients across Mayo Clinic sites.

Results showed that the less aggressive treatment markedly decreased both moderate and severe toxicities, leading to fewer adverse effects and better post-treatment symptom management, without compromising overall disease control rates in intermediate-risk patients. However, for high-risk patients with five or more lymph nodes involved or disease spread beyond lymph nodes, the standard longer treatment showed slightly better disease control, suggesting these patients should still receive conventional therapy.

According to Dr. Daniel Ma, senior author and head and neck radiation oncologist, this development represents a significant advancement for patients by reducing long-term treatment burden and improving quality of life, while maintaining high cure rates. The study highlights the potential for personalized treatment strategies and ongoing research using biomarkers like circulating DNA to further optimize patient outcomes.

This research marks one of the largest cohorts studying post-surgical de-escalation in HPV-related throat cancer and emphasizes the importance of tailoring therapy to limit toxicity. The findings might result in a paradigm shift in treatment protocols, offering patients a more manageable and equally effective option for combatting this disease.

source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-shorter-intense-regimen-effective-hpv.html