Different Mechanisms of Cell Death in Radiosensitive and Radioresistant P53 Mutated Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines Exposed to Carbon Ions and X-Rays

High LET irradiation induced distinct types of cell death in HNSCC cell lines and showed an increased effectiveness compared with X-rays. However, the reproliferation of SQ20B may explain the potential locoregional recurrence observed among some HNSCC patients treated by hadrontherapy. An adjuvant treatment forcing the tumor cells to enter apoptosis may therefore be necessary to improve the outcome of radiotherapy.