Active clinical trials for "Head and Neck Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as docetaxel, cisplatin, fluorouracil, and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Lapatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving combination chemotherapy together with radiation therapy, with or without lapatinib, before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed or eliminate the need for surgery. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of combination chemotherapy given together with radiation therapy with or without lapatinib and to see how well it works in treating patients with locally advanced cancer of the larynx or hypopharynx.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin and capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving oxaliplatin together with capecitabine works in treating patients with relapsed or metastatic head and neck cancer.

The primary objective of this study is to explore the efficacy of BIBW 2992 compared with cetuximab (Erbitux) in patients with metastatic or recurrent head and neck cancer after failure of platinum-containing therapy. In addition, the trial aims to clarify the influence of EGFR genotype on tumor response to the treatment regimens.

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of photodynamic therapy using HPPH in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for primary or recurrent head and neck cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses a drug, such as HPPH, that becomes active when it is exposed to a certain kind of light. When the drug is active, tumor cells are killed. Giving photodynamic therapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery.

The addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy (chemoradiation) has improved outcomes for patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck but additional improvements to treatment regimens are needed. The study is investigating if the addition of a targeted therapy (panitumumab) can improve the efficacy of chemoradiation without adding unmanageable toxicity.

The primary objective of the first phase is to determine the safety, the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicity of TNFerade in combination with the previously studied combination of Fluorouracil (5FU), Hydroxyurea (HU) and standard daily radiotherapy in patients with recurrent head and neck cancer (RHNC). All chemoradiotherapy is administered on a "week-on/week-off" schedule. The primary objective of the second phase II is to determine the locoregional control rate at 24 months.

This study is looking at the safety and tolerability of TNFeradeä Biologic combined with conventional once daily radiation therapy in elderly or frail patients with new onset locally advanced head and neck tumors.

This phase II trial is evaluating the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiation therapy with weekly docetaxel and cisplatin combination regimen.

The purpose of this study is to determine if EMD 1201081 in combination with cetuximab is more efficient than cetuximab alone to control the cancer. EMD 1201081 is an immune modulatory oligonucleotide (IMO) containing phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide and acts as an agonist of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). EMD 1201081 has been studied in six clinical trials in over 170 subjects either as a monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents or targeted therapies. Two studies have been conducted in healthy volunteers. In the other five studies, subjects with advanced solid tumors, renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer have been treated with EMD 1201081. Two studies are still ongoing. Future clinical development of EMD 1201081 will focus on colorectal cancer (CRC) and squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN). In this Phase 2 study, subjects with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN), will be treated with cetuximab plus EMD 1201081 or cetuximab alone. The study will be conducted as a multicenter study in several European Union (EU) member states and the Unites States. EMD 1201081 in combination with cetuximab will be evaluated for antitumor activity in subjects by examining its effects on accepted clinical endpoints. Progression-free survival (PFS) will be evaluated in subjects treated with EMD 1201081 plus cetuximab compared to cetuximab alone in cetuximab-naïve subjects with R/M SCCHN who have progressed on a cytotoxic therapy. Cetuximab, approved in colorectal cancer and SCCHN in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy and SCCHN in combination with radiotherapy in the EU, will be provided as investigational medicinal product (IMP) in this study. Commercially available Cetuximab will be provided in the United States.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Lapatinib ditosylate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving capecitabine together with lapatinib ditosylate may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving capecitabine and lapatinib ditosylate together works in treating patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck.