Active clinical trials for "Head and Neck Neoplasms"

60 post operative patients who are kept intubated overnight & are spontaneously breathing will be either supplied humidified oxygen Heated Humidifier(HH) or conventional mist nebulizer. Temperature of inspired gas at the Y piece will be measured. Sterile water will be used for HH & Mist nebuliser. The suctioning of endotracheal tube (ETT) will be done once every 2 hourly by nurse/ doctor/trained personnel and additional suctioning if required.

This study aims to investigate whether the intraoperative use of the FloTrac device to guide fluid and vasopressor management during head and neck free flap surgery improves postoperative outcome. Primary postoperative outcome is length of hospital stay. Secondary postoperative outcomes include days in ICU, days on ventilator, presence of postoperative pulmonary edema, need for postoperative vasopressors or transfusions, 30 day flap complication rate, inpatient postoperative cardiorespiratory complications/events, and overall 30 day flap failure rate.

The purpose of this clinical investigation is to evaluate acute and longlasting side effects in patients undergoing radiotherapy for cancer treatment in the head and neck area.

Rationale: Due to advanced technologies in the last decade, increasingly more treatment options are available for head and neck cancer (HNC). As a consequence decision-making with regard to choosing the best available treatment option is becoming increasingly relevant. Quality of life weights (utility scores) are an important outcome measure in this decision-making process. Utility scores can be combined with life expectancy, resulting in the Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY). If in economic evaluation the outcomes are expressed in QALYs gained, it is possible to compare the efficiency of different interventions for different indications. However, limited evidence on utility scores after treatment for HNC is available. Objective: The investigators' main objective is to examine quality of life (QoL), both utility scores and disease specific quality of life, for different treatment modalities in HNC. Secondary objectives are to examine whether QoL differs across health states, and which factors influence QoL. As extensive data are available on disease-specific quality of life, another objective is to examine whether utility scores can be derived from a commonly used disease-specific questionnaire, the EORTC QLQ-C30/QLQ-H&N35. If this would be possible, this would limit patient burden in future clinical trials. Finally, by means of measuring patients' ability to perform their work, diet and dental consequences the investigators aim to measure the impact of HNC and its treatment. Study design: The investigators' study design is a cross-sectional survey. Study population: The study population consists of patients with HNC who are treated at least six months ago for curative radiotherapy and/or surgery with or without chemotherapy. Intervention/method: Patients are asked to fill out a single set of questionnaires (once-only). The set of questionnaires consists of three validated questionnaires, concerning health state utility (EuroQol-5D), disease-specific quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30/QLQ-H&N35) and productivity losses (PRODISQ). In addition, two questions inquiring about patients' diet and three questions considering the dental status of these patients are added to the questionnaires. To classify patients into certain health states, physicians are asked to score adverse events in patients during follow-up visits (according to the RTOG classification). Main study parameters/endpoints: The main study parameter is QoL (both disease specific quality of life and utility scores) in a certain health state. These utility scores can be used in future cost-effectiveness studies to identify the best available treatment option. Other important study parameters are the factors influencing QoL, and the relationship between utility score and disease-specific quality of life. Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: As the study involves a once only set of questionnaires, the burden is only minimal. No risks are expected to be associated with participation. It is important to gain insight into QoL, patients' ability to perform their work, diet and dental consequences in long-term follow-up of HNC patients, to allow for evidence-based decision-making regarding treatment options for HNC.

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood, tissue, and saliva in the laboratory from patients with cancer and from healthy volunteers may help doctors identify and learn more about biomarkers related to cancer. PURPOSE: This laboratory study is looking at biomarkers in patients with head and neck cancer and in healthy volunteers.

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood in the laboratory from patients with cancer 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. PURPOSE: This research study is looking at blood sample analysis in predicting overall survival in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer.

RATIONALE: Gathering information about patients' quality of life during radiation therapy for cancer may help doctors plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying quality of life in patients undergoing radiation therapy for primary lung cancer, head and neck cancer, or gastrointestinal cancer.

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood in the laboratory may help doctors predict which patients will develop hypersensitivity to cetuximab. PURPOSE: This research study is looking at hypersensitivity to cetuximab in patients with head and neck cancer or advanced colorectal cancer previously treated with cetuximab.

RATIONALE: Developing a symptom checklist for late-effect lymphedema may help doctors learn more about lymphedema in patients with head and neck cancer and plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is developing a checklist of lymphedema symptoms in patients with head and neck cancer.

The purpose of the research study is to evaluate effectiveness and the quality of life, specifically the risk of dry mouth, after radiation treatment for head and neck cancers.