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A Study of Decreasing Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy in People With Head and Neck Cancer

Phase 2
Recruiting
Conditions
Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Head and Neck Cancer
Head and Neck Carcinoma
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Interventions
Diagnostic Test: 18F-FMISO PET/CT scan
Radiation: Chemoradiation therapy
Registration Number
NCT05544136
Lead Sponsor
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to test the treatment approach of de-escalated radiation and chemotherapy followed by a planned neck dissection surgery in people with head and neck cancer. The study will look at how effective the treatment approach is against participants' cancer.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
12
Inclusion Criteria
  • Histologically confirmed diagnosis of SCC of the head and neck (excluding nasopharynx, nasal cavity/paranasal sinus, oral cavity, salivary, thyroid, and cutaneous primary malignancies).

    • Any unknown primary SCC of the head and neck with radiographically detectable gross nodes is allowed (core or excisional biopsy acceptable; if excisional biopsy is performed, there must be residual radiographically detectable nodal disease; FNA may be acceptable only with PI and/or co-PI approval)
    • If the primary site is oropharynx or unknown primary, P16 IHC must be negative.
    • If the primary site is hypopharynx or larynx, any P16 status is acceptable (positive, negative, or unknown). P16 IHC is strongly encouraged when possible.
  • Clinical stage T0-3 N1-2C M0 (AJCC 7th edition) without evidence of distant metastasis based on staging FDG PET/CT.

  • 18 years of age or older.

  • Must not have received prior radiation therapy or chemotherapy for HNC.

  • Patients who have had their primary site tumor removed by surgery but still have residual grossly enlarged, radiographically detectable lymph nodes are eligible for this study.

  • Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≥ 70.

  • CT or MRI of the Neck with and without contrast

    o Note: A CT scan of the Neck and/or a PET/CT performed for the purposes of radiation planning may serve as planning tools.

  • Adequate hematologic function within 30 days prior to registration, defined as follows:

    • White Blood Count (WBC) ≥ 2,000 cells/µL
    • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,000 cells/mm3
    • Platelets ≥ 100,000 cells/mm3
    • Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL; Note: The use of transfusion or other interventions to achieve Hgb ≥ 8.0 g/dL is acceptable
  • Adequate renal function within 30 days prior to registration, defined as follows:

    • Serum creatinine < 1.5 mg/dL or creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥ 50 mL/min determined by 24-hour collection or estimated by Cockcroft-Gault formula: CrCl male = [(140 - age) x (weight in kg)] / [(Serum Cr mg/dL) x (72)] CrCl female = 0.85 x (CrCl male)
    • Patients with serum creatinine > 1.5 mg/dL can be eligible for carboplatin-based chemotherapy with approval of co-PI (Dr. Eric Sherman
  • Adequate hepatic function within 30 days prior to registration, defined as follows:

    • Bilirubin < 2 mg/dL
    • AST or ALT < 3 x the upper limit of normal
  • Negative serum pregnancy test within 14 days prior to registration for women of childbearing potential.

  • The subject/legally authorized representative (LAR) must provide study-specific informed consent prior to study entry.

Exclusion Criteria
  • All nasopharyngeal, nasal cavity/paranasal sinus, oral cavity, salivary gland, thyroid, and cutaneous primary malignancies.

  • Any T4 or N3 patients

  • Any prior radiotherapy to the head and neck region.

  • Any prior systemic chemotherapy for the study cancer; note that prior chemotherapy for a different non-H&N cancer is permissible.

  • Prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy within the last three years.

  • Patients who underwent previous surgical resection for the same disease (except for biopsy or surgery removing primary site tumor but still present with grossly enlarged, radiographically detectable lymph nodes).

  • Prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) unless disease free for 3 years or if cure rate from treatment at 5 years estimated to be ≥ 90%.

  • Subjects with simultaneous primary cancers outside of the oropharynx

    o Note: Exceptions can be made for patients with simultaneous primaries outside the H&N if determined by the PI/Co-PI that the patient can proceed with protocol activities.

  • Pregnant (confirmed by serum b-HCG in women of reproductive age) or breastfeeding.

  • Severe, active co-morbidities defined as follows:

    • Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months.
    • Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months.
    • Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration.
    • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy within 30 days of registration.
    • Hepatic Insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Participants with Squamous Cell Carcinoma Head and Neck Cancer18F-FMISO PET/CT scanParticipants will be hypoxia-negative T0-3N1-2B small cell carcinoma head and neck cancer/SCC HNC patients (HPV-OPC, HPV- UPC with nodal metastasis(es), HPC, or LXC) who are eligible for definitive CRT with de-escalated radiation concurrent with 2 cycles of SOC chemotherapy. Hypoxia status will be determined by the absence of hypoxia radiotracer uptake on 18F-FMISO PET/CT imaging
Participants with Squamous Cell Carcinoma Head and Neck CancerChemoradiation therapyParticipants will be hypoxia-negative T0-3N1-2B small cell carcinoma head and neck cancer/SCC HNC patients (HPV-OPC, HPV- UPC with nodal metastasis(es), HPC, or LXC) who are eligible for definitive CRT with de-escalated radiation concurrent with 2 cycles of SOC chemotherapy. Hypoxia status will be determined by the absence of hypoxia radiotracer uptake on 18F-FMISO PET/CT imaging
Participants with Squamous Cell Carcinoma Head and Neck CancerCarboplatinParticipants will be hypoxia-negative T0-3N1-2B small cell carcinoma head and neck cancer/SCC HNC patients (HPV-OPC, HPV- UPC with nodal metastasis(es), HPC, or LXC) who are eligible for definitive CRT with de-escalated radiation concurrent with 2 cycles of SOC chemotherapy. Hypoxia status will be determined by the absence of hypoxia radiotracer uptake on 18F-FMISO PET/CT imaging
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Number of participants alive post-Chemo Radiation Therapy2.5 years

The primary objective is to assess the pilot efficacy of RT dose de-escalation to grossly involved lymph nodes for hypoxia negative T0-T3N1-2B HPV- OPC/UPC and HPC/LXC patients. For evaluation on the efficacy of the regimen in this cohort, a simple decision rule will be implemented as follows: If, among the first 10 evaluable patients, we have at least 8 patients who are alive, followed, and have major pathological response on planned neck dissection at 4 months ± 1 month post-CRT, then we will declare the treatment modality using that RT dose has pilot efficacy and will then proceed with treatment at the next de-escalated dose level.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (6)

Memorial Sloan Kettering at Basking Ridge (Limited Protocol Activities)

🇺🇸

Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States

Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth (Limited Protocol Activities)

🇺🇸

Middletown, New Jersey, United States

Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen (Limited Protocol Activities)

🇺🇸

Montvale, New Jersey, United States

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center @ Suffolk-Commack (Limited protocol activities)

🇺🇸

Commack, New York, United States

Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester (Limited Protocol Activities)

🇺🇸

Harrison, New York, United States

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (All Protocol Activities)

🇺🇸

New York, New York, United States

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