Active clinical trials for "Head and Neck Neoplasms"

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of escitalopram to prevent depression in head and neck cancer patients receiving treatment.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether erlotinib will be effective in controlling cancer that has returned after treatment with salvage surgery and radiation. This study will also determine what effects, good and/or bad, this drug has on the participants.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects (good and bad) of chemoradiotherapy with or without Bevacizumab (Avastin). Chemoradiotherapy is the combination of chemotherapy (the drugs pemetrexed and cetuximab) and radiation. Pemetrexed is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for head and neck cancer when used in combination with radiation therapy. Cetuximab is also approved by the FDA for head and neck cancers in patients who have failed other chemotherapy treatments. Bevacizumab is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for colorectal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer in combination of chemotherapy. In this study, the use of bevacizumab is investigational.

Approximately 60 patients will be enrolled with highly suspected lung cancer, or head and neck cancer. The patients must also be starting radiotherapy or a chemoradiotherapy regimen (except with 5-fluorouracil). The patients will undergo 3 visits. One screening, one pre therapy PET/CT imaging visit, and one (3-5 weeks after the start of therapy) post PET/CT imaging visit. This study will evaluate the FLT and FDG images for tumor proliferation rates for early assessment of tumor response to radiation or chemo-radiation combo.

In this study, an oral nutrition supplement has been developed that take into consideration: the nutritional requirements, treatment side-effects and taste preferences of head and neck cancer patients; the acceptance of a supplement when experiencing radiation therapy side-effects; and the taste preferences of head and neck cancer patients which may affect the supplement intake. We hope to increase dietary intake during the last 2 weeks of radiation therapy.

RATIONALE: Diagnostic procedures using the drug EF5 to detect the presence of oxygen in tumor cells may help to plan effective treatment for solid tumors. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to compare diagnostic procedures using EF5 to that of other methods of detecting oxygen levels in tumor cells of patients who have head and neck cancer.

Background: Dysphagia is a common side effect after radiotherapy for haed and neck cancer patients. It may be worsened by immobility of the throat during tube feeding. Hypothesis: Exercises may prevent or reduce late dysphagia. Method: Phase I study to identify the tolerated intensity of exercises and establish the method of measuring training intensity and dysphagia measurement. Endpoint: Objective dysphagia using VF and FEESST. The HN swallowing and HN pain endpoint of EORTC H&N35 questionnaire. Weight loss, duration of tube feeding.

RATIONALE: Diagnostic procedures, such as 3'-deoxy-3'-[18F] fluorothymidine (FLT) and fludeoxyglucose F 18 (FDG) PET scans, may help doctors predict a patient's response to treatment and help plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This pilot trial is studying FLT and FDG PET scans to see how well they evaluate response to cetuximab, cisplatin, and radiation therapy in patients with advanced cancer of the oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx.

Amifostine is a radioprotective drug which is approved by the US FDA for administration prior to each radiation treatment using the intravenous route. The study evaluated the safety of amifostine administered subcutaneously. The four targeted toxicities were nausea/vomiting, hypotension, generalized skin rash, and injection-site skin reactions.

This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of thyme honey, saline and sodium bicarbonate solution in the management of oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer receiving radiotherapy.