What Researchers Did
Researchers retrospectively reviewed 16 patients who received proton therapy for recurrent or progressive chordoma, with or without salvage surgery, between 2005 and 2012.
What They Found
The median follow-up was 23 months, revealing a 2-year estimated local control rate of 85% and overall survival of 80%. Chordoma-specific survival was 88% at 2 years, with 20% of patients developing distant metastases and four experiencing local progression.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with recurrent or progressive chordoma, this study suggests that proton therapy reirradiation could be a viable treatment option. This approach may offer a chance for local control and improved survival in a difficult-to-treat disease setting.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor did it involve Canadian researchers or patients.
Study Limitations
Key limitations include the retrospective design, the small sample size of 16 patients, and the relatively short median follow-up period of 23 months.