Independent validation of dysphagia NTCP model for the selection of head and neck cancer patients for proton therapy in the Netherlands

Purpose/Background: We externally validated the Normal Tissue Complication Probability (NTCP) grade II-IV at 6 months dysphagia model for head and neck cancer patients included in the Dutch National Indication Protocol for Proton Therapy (NIPP) using an independent patients’ cohort treated with (chemo)radiotherapy in MAASTRO clinic.Materials/Methods: We used 277 head and neck cancer patients treated with (chemo)radiotherapy in MAASTRO clinic between 2019-2021. For the evaluation of the model discrimination we used statistical metrics such as the sensitivity, specificity and the area under the... Mehr ...