Proton Beam Radiation Therapy

This clinical trial tests proton beam radiation therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer who have undergone surgical resection and have lymph nodes involving the middle of the chest. Proton therapy is a type of radiation treatment that kills cancer cells while avoiding surrounding healthy tissue. Proton beam therapy is sometimes used after cancer surgery to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence (coming back). Giving proton beam radiation therapy may work better than conventional radiation treatment after surgery in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

This phase II trial studies the effect of pembrolizumab alone compared to the usual approach (chemotherapy \[cisplatin and carboplatin\] plus radiation therapy) after surgery in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has come back (recurrent) or patients with a second head and neck cancer that is not from metastasis (primary). Radiation therapy uses high energy radiation or protons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Cisplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Carboplatin is also in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works in a way similar to the anticancer drug cisplatin, but may be better tolerated than cisplatin. Carboplatin works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving pembrolizumab alone after surgery may work better than the usual approach in shrinking recurrent or primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.