Active clinical trials for "Head and Neck Neoplasms"

Rationale: Radiation-induced parotid gland dysfunction, often leading to xerostomia is the most-frequently occurring side-effect with a major impact on patient-reported quality of life after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Therefore, treatments for HNC are currently optimized to minimize the mean dose to the parotid glands. Though this resulted in a significant reduction of toxicity, 30%-40% of the patients still develop sustained parotid gland dysfunction and xerostomia. However, in animal studies the investigators found that the dose to the sub-volume of the gland containing the parotid gland stem cells is a better predictor for dysfunction than the mean dose to the whole gland. Subsequently, this finding was confirmed in a retrospective analysis in patients. Therefore, a reduction of dose specifically in this sub-volume of the parotid glands of patients is expected to further reduce the risk of parotid gland dysfunction and xerostomia. Objective: To test the hypothesis that parotid gland stem cell sparing intensity modulated radiotherapy in HNC patients reduces the risk of parotid gland dysfunction and xerostomia as compared to conventional parotid gland sparing intensity modulated radiotherapy. Study design: Double-blind prospective randomized trial (51 patients per arm). Study population: Patients treated for tumours in the head-and-neck region with curative radiotherapy, with or without the addition of chemotherapy or cetuximab. Intervention: Patients randomized into the experimental arm will receive a treatment in which the radiation dose to the parotid gland is re-distributed to minimize dose to the sub-volume containing the stem cells, while keeping the same mean dose to the parotid gland as a whole. Main study parameters/endpoints: Primary endpoint is parotid gland salivary secretion. Secondary endpoints are patient- and physician-rated xerostomia.

The aim of this study is to determine the activity, to assess the safety and tolerance of BKM120 in adult patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer progressive under platin and cetuximab-based chemotherapy.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck cancer can be treated with a less aggressive regimen of radiation therapy and chemotherapy (paclitaxel) after initially receiving two cycles of chemotherapy (carboplatin/paclitaxel).

This randomized phase II trial studies how well cetuximab with or without tivantinib works in treating patients with head and neck cancer that has come back (recurrent), has spread to other places in the body (metastatic), or cannot be removed by surgery. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Tivantinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It is not yet known whether cetuximab is more effective with or without tivantinib in treating patients with head and neck cancer.

The purpose of this research study is to learn about the effectiveness of using lower-intensity radiation and chemotherapy to treat human papillomavirus (HPV) associated low-risk oropharyngeal and/or unknown primary squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. The cure rate for this type of cancer is estimated to be high, > 90%. The standard treatment for this cancer is 7 weeks of radiation with 3 high doses of cisplatin. Sometimes surgery is performed afterwards. This standard regimen causes a lot of side effects and long term complications. This study is evaluating whether a lower dose of radiation and chemotherapy may provide a similar cure rate as the longer, more intensive standard regimen. Patients in this study will receive 1 less week of radiation and a lower weekly dose of chemotherapy followed by a limited surgical evaluation.

This phase I trial using the EffTox design will evaluate activity and safety of alisertib, an Aurora A kinase inhibitor, when given in combination with the selective VEGFR inhibitor pazopanib in patients with advanced, previously treated non-hematologic solid tumors.

This phase II trial studies the safety and effectiveness of an induction chemotherapy (ACF) consisting of paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation (nab-paclitaxel), cisplatin and fluorouracil followed by chemoradiation therapy in treating patients with stage III-IV squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. ACF may be an effective way to reduce or downgrade locally aggressive tumors, and improve the chance of eradication by chemoradiation.

The purpose of this study is to investigate in patients with cancer of the throat and recurrent inoperable a different modality treatment consisting of radiation continuously for 5 weeks and half associated with a drug directed against a receptor on cell surfaces cancer, called Erbitux ®. The investigators hope with this shorter treatment (1.5 weeks less than the usual treatment) to improve the antitumor efficacy without additional toxic side effects.

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.