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Palliative Steroeotactic Body Radiotherapy vs Palliative Standard Radiotherapy in Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Phase 3
Recruiting
Conditions
Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
Registration Number
NCT06641791
Lead Sponsor
Canadian Cancer Trials Group
Brief Summary

This study is being done to answer the following question: Does stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) provide better cancer control compared to standard radiation therapy (RT) for those with advanced head and neck cancer?

Detailed Description

Stereotactic body radiation therapy, or SBRT, is a cancer treatment that more precisely delivers radiation to the tumour area with less radiation going to unaffected areas around the tumour. It uses fewer treatments of higher doses compared to standard radiation therapy.

This study is being done to find out if this approach is better than the usual approach for advanced head and neck cancer. The usual approach is defined as care most people get for advanced head and neck cancer.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
196
Inclusion Criteria
  • Histologically confirmed mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck arising from at least one of the following sites: oro/hypopharynx, oral cavity, supraglottic larynx, maxillary sinus, nasal cavity, or unknown primary
  • Stages T0-T4/N0-N3
  • Must be considered unfit for curative intent RT as determined by the treating oncologist(s)
  • Geriatric 8 score <14 (see Appendix VI for G8 Screening Tool)
  • Patient must be ≥18 years of age
  • CT or MRI of the head and neck within 8 weeks prior to randomization
  • Chest CT or x-ray. PET CT is permitted if CT is of diagnostic quality.
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status 0-3
  • Participants of childbearing potential must have agreed to use a highly effective contraceptive method during protocol therapy.
  • Patients with a prior malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational treatment are eligible for this trial.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
  • Prior systemic therapy (including immunotherapy).
  • Prior radiotherapy to the head and neck excluding superficial radiotherapy for head and neck skin cancer that does not overlap with current protocol treatment.
  • Prior head and neck cancer excluding skin cancer.
  • Patients with tumour locations/at risk of SBRT toxicity, including glottic/subglottic larynx, T4 hypopharynx, post-cricoid, cervical esophagus, circumferential pharyngeal involvement, extension/proximity to brain/optic structures, any single tumour mass >8 cm (in one dimension), >2 nodal levels (Level 1a/b not counted).
  • Gross tumour poorly visualized on CT/MRI.
  • Definitive radiological or clinically evident distant metastases.
  • Scleroderma/CREST syndrome.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Overall Survival estimated according to Kaplan-Meier's methodology6 years
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Response Rate evaluated by RECIST6 years
Number and Severity of Adverse Events6 years
Patient Reported Outcomes utilizing PRO-CTCAE6 years

We will qualitatively compare PRO-CTCAE item scores between arms at 8 weeks from the start of RT, and examine PRO-CTCAE item scores at 12 months post-RT in the SBRT arm, as an indicator or persisting (consequential or "late") RT toxicity with SBRT to the head and neck region.

Patient Reported Outcomes utilizing FACT-HN6 years

proportion of patients between arms who have a meaningful worsening (12 points or greater) of QOL

Healthcare Resource Utilization utilizing EQ-5D-5L6 years

All enrolled participants who have received at least one fraction of protocol therapy are evaluable for health economics. Those who have completed the Health Utilities Index (EQ-5D-5L), will be evaluable for cost-utility analyses.

Progression-free Survival6 years
Local Regional Failure Free Survival6 years

defined as the time from the date of randomization to the date of any of the following, whichever comes first:

* The first record of appearance (radiological or clinical) of local or regional disease progression/recurrence.

* Surgery of primary tumour at any time performed for clinical or radiological (RECIST 1.1) disease persistence/progression/recurrence with tumour present/unknown on final pathology.

* Neck dissection \> 20 weeks from the end of radiation therapy performed for clinical or radiological (RECIST 1.1) disease persistence/progression/recurrence with tumour present/unknown on final pathology.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Odette Cancer Centre

🇨🇦

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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