The purpose of this study is to assess the safety of hypofractionated proton therapy in patients who are not candidates for concurrent chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC), carcinoid, and thymic malignancies.
Primary Objectives- To assess the effect of hypofractionated dose escalation in the setting of proton therapy by measuring the incidence of acute dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Inherent in this aim is the possible development of a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) using increasing fraction sizes.
- To determine if a hypofractionated regimen at increased doses is well tolerated in patients that cannot tolerate standard chemotherapeutic regimens.
Secondary Objectives- To observe 1- and 2-year local control rates and to compare these outcomes to historical controls using standard fractionated regimens.
- To observe patterns of exhaled alveolar nitric oxide and respiratory symptoms as delineated by the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire after receiving hypofractionated proton therapy in thoracic malignancies.
- To observe patterns of answers in the core MD Anderson Symptom Inventory Questionnaire after receiving hypofractioned proton therapy in thoracic malignancies.
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