Active clinical trials for "Head and Neck Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Early physical therapy may be effective in improving range of motion of the neck and shoulders in head and neck cancer survivors who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying how well early physical therapy works in improving physical and functional well-being in head and neck cancer survivors receiving chemoradiotherapy.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a rare tumor among Caucasians which occurs with high incidence among individuals of Chinese descent. The disease is believed to have a multifactorial etiology with genetic, viral, and other environmental factors being involved. Little is known, however, about the genetic component of this disease. We have recently completed subject recruitment for a case-control study of NPC in Taiwan. Using information obtained from the NPC cases recruited into this NCI-sponsored case-control study as well as from a parallel cross-sectional study conducted by our Taiwanese collaborators, we have been able to identify 120-150 families with multiple family members affected with NPC. The purpose of the study described herein is to determine the role of inherited genetic factors in the etiology of NPC and to examine the effect of these genetic susceptibility factors on risk associated with environmental exposures. Families will initially be contacted via the proband who previously participated in our case-control and cross-sectional studies. Subsequently, informative family members will be asked to visit the study clinic to participate in the study. A family history questionnaire will be administered to the proband from each of the families selected for study. In addition, a risk factor questionnaire will be administered to all participating family members, and 30-40 ml of blood and an oral sample will be obtained from each study participant. Additional study components include medical record review to verify the diagnosis of NPC, retrieval of tumor tissue blocks as a source of DNA for study, and clinical exams on a sample of unaffected individuals to exclude the possibility of prevalent, undetected disease among family members. Oral and laryngeal cancer families will also be recruited in a manner similar to that described for NPC families, in an attempt to elucidate genetic factors linked to the development of these two cancers....

Multispectral photoacoustic imaging enables the measurement of the optical absorption of various tissue components or exogenous contrast agents in vivo. The dominant, near infrared absorbing chromophores in human tissue are oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin followed by collagen, melanin and lipids. The multispectral measurement of the absorption of hemoglobin shows changes in blood oxygen saturation and blood volume. The high resolution of photoacoustic imaging also enables the vascular structure to be displayed. The aim of this exploratory study is to generate hypotheses by applying photoacoustic imaging to the field of head and neck tumor therapy. The next step is to investigate whether and how photoacoustic imaging can help improve diagnostics and better planning of treatments in the future. In particular, the differences between normal and tumor tissue and the changes in the tissue due to radiation therapy using photoacoustic imaging are examined. In the quantitative analysis of the images, measured chromophores, primarily oxygen saturation, blood volume and collagen concentrations at different measuring points are used in the course of the therapy.

This is a single-arm prospective trial of an intra- and postoperative topical antiseptic bundle. The study will recruit patients undergoing an open surgical resection of the upper aerodigestive tract requiring a planed vascularized reconstruction, which may be either pedicled and/or free flap. The objectives are to evaluate antimicrobial effects of a perioperative topical antiseptic bundle and to identify the source of surgical site infection as well as the rate of 30-day adverse events in head and neck cancer.

It is important for patients treated with anti-EGFR therapies to get access to cosmetic options to preserve their skin condition during treatment. Anti-EGFR therapies are known to fragilize epidermis and to provoke rashes; which often lead to treatment discontinuation. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that the Onco-Rash cream is able to preserve skin condition without side effects. Decreasing skin toxicity is expected to improve patients' life and facilitate treatment follow-up.

This protocol describes a randomized, double-arm, parallel-group, open-label controlled study that aims to evaluate the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine on head and neck cancer patients with oral mucositis toxicities and quality of life during radiotherapy.

To implement and evaluate a health information technology platform designed to support the management of patients with head and neck cancer in an urban, publicly-funded outpatient setting. This is an observational study; researchers will not assign specific interventions to study participants.

The primary objective of the study is to characterize the medical management of squamous cell carcinoma head and neck (SCCHN) patients diagnosed with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) disease (between 01July2013 and 30 June 2014) in the real-world setting.

Poor nutritional status and malnutrition are prevalent for patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer. Inadequate dietary intake is multi factorial, with patients experiencing dysphagia and or anorexia caused by various cancer treatments. Current standard practice utilizes Gastrostomy Tube placement to manage adverse nutritional effects related to Head and Neck cancer treatment.

Head and neck cancer surgery presents the challenge of tumour resection in close proximity to critical structures such as the carotid arteries and optic nerves. The need for precise localization within complex 3D anatomy has motivated the development of image-guidance systems that account for tissue deformation and excision through the use of intraoperative cone-beam CT (CBCT). A prototype mobile C-arm for intraoperative flat-panel CBCT has been developed at UHN in collaboration with Siemens Healthcare to provide low-dose 3D images with sub-mm spatial resolution and soft-tissue visibility. Extensive investigation in pre-clinical/clinical H&N, otology, orthopaedic, lung, and spine surgery has demonstrated the benefit of intraoperative CBCT for improved target ablation, localization accuracy, and critical structure avoidance. Prospective clinical trial in CBCT-guided H&N surgery will be conducted to evaluate the Zeego robotic platform for CBCT. Patient accrual will span a wide range of surgical procedures in otolaryngology, including cancer resection and anatomical reconstruction in the mandible, maxilla, sinuses, skull base, and temporal bone. The effect of intraoperative imaging and surgical guidance on logistical considerations of time, workflow, and compatibility with the OR environment will be evaluated through the use of in-room audio/video recordings, human factors engineering methods, and expert feedback questionnaires obtained from the surgeons, nurses, and anesthetists involved in each case. This clinical investigation will help to further define indications for CBCT-guided H&N surgery, and serve to enable the development of surgical task-specific imaging protocols.