Participant with histologic confirmation of newly diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck
Participant with unilateral or bilateral neck dissection planned for care; an N0 neck must be planned to be dissected for the patient to be eligible; the N0 neck can be either ipsilateral to the head and neck tumor or the contralateral N0 neck if a bilateral neck dissection is planned
Participant with confirmed head and neck SCC:* CT and/or MR imaging has been completed within six (6) weeks prior to enrollment, even if the SCC diagnosis has been made via other methods, and will be submitted to American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN);* Simultaneous diagnostic CT with PET will not be excluded, but in such cases PET cannot be used as part of the criteria to define the N0 neck as required for entrance to the trial;* If sites received CT and/or MR images from institutions other than their own, ACRIN recommends a re-read by a local neuroradiologist to ensure compliance with protocol eligibility requirements
Participant with at least one neck that is clinically N0 as defined by clinical exam (physical exam with CT and/or MRI as the gold standard of the N0 neck); stages T2, T3, or T4. N0N3, excluding N2c for bilateral disease based on criteria from the American Joint Commission on Cancer
Participant in whom it may be considered a viable clinical option to perform neck dissection when primary cancers are at high risk for neck metastasis (see definition above);* These will include: 1) oral cavity cancer; 2) oropharynx cancer, including base of tongue and tonsil cancers; 3) larynx cancer; or 4) supraglottic cancer
Patient with tumors in the head and neck that are not SCC
Patient not a candidate for surgery (neck dissection) because of an underlying medical condition
Must have a diagnosis of head/neck cancer
Must have anatomically intact parotid glands and at least one submandibular gland; a focused (head/neck) history and exam conducted by a physician or dentist within the past year is required
History of xerostomia, Sjogrens disease or other illness known to affect salivation prior to head/neck radiation
History of stroke or head injury associated with loss of consciousness within 12 months of registration
Patients who have received prior radiotherapy to any portion of the abdominal cavity or pelvis are excluded; prior radiation for localized cancer of the breast, head and neck, or skin is permitted, provided that it was completed more than three years prior to registration, and the patient remains free of recurrent or metastatic disease
Patients must have histologically documented metastatic or unresectable non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, urothelial transitional cell carcinoma, or breast cancer whose disease has progressed after at least one line of standard therapy
INELIGIBLE SITES: Head and neck, visceral organs (with the exception of embryonal sarcoma of the liver), retroperitoneum, peritoneum, pelvis within the confines of the bony pelvis
Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) including paranasal sinus cancers but excluding nasopharyngeal carcinomas
Patients who have received prior radiotherapy to any portion of the abdominal cavity or pelvis or thoracic cavity within the last three years are excluded; prior radiation for localized cancer of the head and neck or skin is permitted, provided that it was completed more than three years prior to registration, and the patient remains free of recurrent or metastatic disease
Patients must have minimum head circumference of 44 cm
Patients with localized sarcomas that are not of the extremity or trunk wall (including head/neck, retroperitoneum, visceral organs, peritoneum, pelvis within the confines of the bony pelvis, and tumors arising in bone)
Prior cranial radiotherapy or radiotherapy to the head and neck where potential field overlaps would exist