PET/CT Scan-Guided Watchful Waiting or Neck Dissection of Locally Advanced Lymph Node Metastases in Treating Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy for Primary Head And Neck Cancer
Head and Neck Cancer
About this trial
This is an interventional diagnostic trial for Head and Neck Cancer focused on measuring stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, stage II squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, stage I verrucous carcinoma of the larynx, stage II squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, stage II verrucous carcinoma of the larynx, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, stage III verrucous carcinoma of the larynx, stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, stage I verrucous carcinoma of the oral cavity, stage II squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, stage II verrucous carcinoma of the oral cavity, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, stage III verrucous carcinoma of the oral cavity, stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, stage II squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, tongue cancer
Eligibility Criteria
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
Histologically confirmed head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), including any of the following subtypes:
- Oropharyngeal
- Laryngeal
- Oral
- Hypopharyngeal
- No primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Must have clinical and CT/MRI evidence of nodal metastases staged N2 (a, b, or c) or N3
- No occult nodal metastasis (i.e., large nodal metastasis but no proven primary site on clinical assessment)
- No N1 nodal metastasis
Planning to receive curative radical concurrent chemoradiotherapy (approved by study) for primary disease
- Patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy are eligible
- Able to undergo neck dissection surgery
- No current resection for primary tumor planned (e.g., resection of tonsil or base of tongue with flap reconstruction [diagnostic tonsillectomy allowed])
- No distant metastases to chest, liver, bones, or other sites
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
- Not pregnant
- No other cancer diagnosis within the past 5 years except basal cell carcinoma or cervical carcinoma in situ
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
- See Disease Characteristics
- No prior treatment for HNSCC
- No concurrent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy without concurrent chemotherapy
- No concurrent adjuvant chemotherapy
- No concurrent chemoradiotherapy for palliative purposes
- No concurrent radiotherapy alone
Sites / Locations
- Warwick Medical School Clinical Trials UnitRecruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Arm I
Arm II
Patients receive standard concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Patients undergo PET/CT scan at 9-13 weeks after completion of CRT. Patients with complete response of primary site undergo neck dissection within 4 weeks.
Patients undergo neck dissection and receive standard concurrent CRT. Patients undergo PET/CT scan at 9-13 weeks after completion of CRT.