Radiation Therapy Quality Assurance Improves Nasopharyngeal Cancer Outcomes in Low and Middle-Income Countries

Strategic Insights -

In a groundbreaking study published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, researchers from GenesisCare Radiation Oncology and international collaborators have demonstrated that a radiation therapy quality assurance (RT QA) program can significantly improve outcomes for patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The study, part of a prospective international atomic energy agency study (E33039), aimed to determine whether RT QA could reduce major deviations in priority one parameters and improve patient outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that the overall rate of unacceptable plans decreased from 64% in phase 1 to 11% in phase 2, indicating a significant improvement in radiation therapy quality.
  • Of the 153 patients accrued from 9 centers between April 2020 and April 2023, 31% were reviewed after treatment, and 96.8% of the plans resubmitted were deemed acceptable.
  • The study shows that RT QA and education for NPC RT plans in LMICs can dramatically reduce major RT protocol deviations.
  • The research was conducted by a team of international experts, including June Corry, Wai Tong Ng, Alisha Moore, and Horace C. W. Choi.
  • The study's findings have the potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare disparities in LMICs.
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics.

Statistics:

  • 134 NPC patients' RT plans from LMICs were audited in phase 1, showing a 64% rate of unacceptable plans.
  • 153 patients accrued from 9 centers between April 2020 and April 2023 in phase 2.
  • 31 of 105 (29.5%) plans reviewed pretreatment were unacceptable, but 96.8% of these plans were resubmitted and deemed acceptable.
  • 6 of 48 (12.5%) plans reviewed posttreatment were unacceptable.
  • The overall rate of unacceptable plans in phase 2 was 11% (17/153).

Sources:

  • NewsRx. New Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Study Findings Recently Were Reported by Researchers at GenesisCare Radiation Oncology [Can Radiation Therapy Quality Assurance Improve Nasopharyngeal Cancer Outcomes in Low and Middle-Income Countries-Reporting the ...]. Cancer Weekly. October 21, 2025; p 409.
  • International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 2025. "Can Radiation Therapy Quality Assurance Improve Nasopharyngeal Cancer Outcomes in Low and Middle-Income Countries-Reporting the Technical Component of the Second Phase of a Prospective International Atomic Energy Agency study (E33039)."