Active clinical trials for "Head and Neck Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Studying samples of tumor tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help doctors predict how patients will respond to treatment with erlotinib. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well erlotinib works when given before surgery in treating patients with head and neck cancer that can be removed by surgery.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the combination of 2 chemotherapy drugs called pemetrexed and gemcitabine might be effective treatment for head and neck squamous cell cancer. The researchers want to find out what effects, good and/or bad, that this treatment has on head and neck cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as irinotecan and cisplatin, 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: To determine if CPT-11 given together with cisplatin is effective in treating recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer.

RATIONALE: Photodynamic therapy 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. This may be an effective treatment for laryngeal cancer. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of laser light therapy when given together with HPPH in treating patients with dysplasia, cancer in situ, or invasive cancer of the larynx.

The main purpose of the study is to: Determine the safety and tolerability of erlotinib and LBH589B. Establish a recommended phase II expansion dosing of LBH589B and erlotinib in patients with advanced aerodigestive tract cancers.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving radiation therapy and paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation together with cisplatin and cetuximab may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation when given together with cisplatin, cetuximab, and radiation therapy to see how well they work in treating patients with locally advanced stage III or stage IV head and neck cancer.

RATIONALE: Using a customized headrest to hold patients in one position may help doctors plan treatment for patients with head and neck cancer. It is not yet known whether a customized headrest is more effective than a standard headrest in holding patients still during radiation therapy. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying a customized headrest to see how well it works compared with a standard headrest in holding patients still while undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.

This study will estimate overall response rate of pemetrexed in poor risk patients with advanced, metastatic, or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

This trial seeks to accomplish both local and regional control of head and neck cancer and reduce systemic metastatic disease. To do this, patients will received chemotherapy followed by chemotherapy and radiation (given together) with an escalating dose of docetaxel.

RATIONALE: SCH 54031 (PEG-interferon alfa-2b) may interfere with the growth of tumor cells and slow the growth of head and neck cancer. It may also stop the growth of head and neck cancer by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Giving PEG-interferon alfa-2b before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well different doses of PEG-interferon alfa-2b work in treating patients with stage II, stage III, or stage IV head and neck cancer that can be removed by surgery.