%0 Journal Article
%T Tubarial gland sparing with intensity modulated radiation therapy for oropharyngeal cancers: A pilot study of dosimetric feasibility.
%A Yarlagadda S
%A McAllister N
%A Rzepczynski AE
%A Kutuk T
%A Kalman NS
%J Head Neck
%V 46
%N 7
%D 2024 Jul 15
%M 38747190
%F 3.821
%R 10.1002/hed.27791
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Tubarial glands are a new organ at risk for head and neck cancer radiation therapy (RT). We aimed to study the feasibility of sparing them using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Tubarial glands were delineated for 17 patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma receiving definitive RT, and treatment plans were re-optimized to spare dose to the tubarial glands while maintaining target coverage. A paired t test was performed to compare the mean dose of tubarial glands and target coverage.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>The difference in mean doses was 4.9 and 7.0 Gy for the ipsilateral and contralateral tubarial glands, respectively (p < 0.01). The mean dose to tubarial gland was ≤39 Gy in 35% versus 47% (ipsilateral) and 70% versus 100% (contralateral) in clinical and re-optimized plans, respectively. Re-optimized ipsilateral tubarial gland mean ≤39 Gy was achieved more commonly in patients with base of tongue versus tonsil primaries (86% vs. 20%, p = 0.02).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>This pilot study demonstrates the dosimetric feasibility of tubarial gland sparing with IMRT. Dosimetric constraints need to be determined with larger studies.