Active clinical trials for "Head and Neck Neoplasms"

The purpose of this study is to better understand the biology of the body's immune response to monoclonal antibody therapy for cancer. Your health information will be used to identify your tissues. The tissue we obtain may be useful for research or education, resulting in new drugs, therapies or diagnostic procedures.

This purpose of this protocol is to evaluate and identify patients who may be eligible for actively enrolling NIH clinical research protocols for head and neck cancer; or provide standard evaluations and treatment necessary for patients with head and neck cancers enrolled in other NIH clinical protocols that do not include such treatment. Participants screened under this protocol will not be required to join a research study; the decision will be voluntary. Patients with head and neck cancer may enroll in this study. Participants may undergo various tests, described below, to determine their eligibility for participation in a specific clinical trial. Other tests may also be required, depending on the protocol or treatment for which the patient is being considered: Blood tests About 3 to 5 tablespoons of blood will be drawn for routine tests, HLA typing and hepatitis and HIV screening. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) This imaging procedure uses a powerful magnetic field to produce pictures of parts of the body in small section views. The test does not use radiation and may be done with or without a contrast dye material. Computerized tomography (CT) This procedure uses x-rays to produces three-dimensional images of body organs in small section views. A contrast dye may or may not be used. Positron emission tomography (PET) PET scans allow the doctor to see the activity of cells in specific body tissues. It requires injection of a radioactive material that attaches to a sugar fluid. The fluid goes to very active cells, such as cancer cells, revealing tumors. Pulmonary function tests These tests use a machine the patient breathes into to measure the volume of air the patient can move in and out of the lungs. Arteriogram, or angiogram The anatomy of the blood vessels can be seen using this procedure, which involves placing a small catheter (plastic tube) into an artery and injecting a contrast solution. Special X-rays are then taken to show the blood vessels. Endoscopy This procedure is done to evaluate the mouth and throat. A tube with a light on the end and special fibers is inserted down the throat to allow the surgeon to examine the throat and, if needed, biopsy a piece of tissue for microscopic study. The test is usually done under general anesthesia in the operating room. Biopsy A piece of tissue or tumor is removed for examination under the microscope. When a biopsy is done in the neck area, a small amount of anesthetic is injected into the area of the biopsy. The biopsy may be done with 1) a small needle to pull out some tissue, 2) a cookie-cutter-like instrument to punch out a small piece of tissue, or 3) a small knife to cut out a piece of tissue. A knife biopsy may be done in the operating room or the clinic depending on the location of the biopsy and precautions required. When the tests are done, the physician will discuss the results with the patient. Patients eligible for a research study will be offered participation. For those not eligible for a study, other therapies will be discussed and the patient will return to the care of his or her primary physician. In special circumstances, patients may be offered standard non-experimental treatment at NIH.

A RCT study to compare the efficacy of ONS supplementation with standard dietary advice on nutritional outcome inHNC outpatients undergoing treatment in radiotherapy clinic. IThe study population are all adult HNC outpatients receiving radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy treatments at Radiotherapy Clinic,NCI. Selected patient will be randomized into Control Group and Intervention Group until each group have 20 subjects, where the total of sample will be 40 patients (in consideration of 50% dropouts) and data will be collected at baseline (prior to treatment), week 2, 4, and the final data will be at week 6 or final day of cancer treatment. Study objectives are to determine the efficacy of ONS supplementation in outpatient HNC undergoing treatment in Radiotherapy Clinic, NCI, to determine nutritional outcome (weight loss and BMI, body composition, dietary intake, albumin and hemoglobin level), functional outcome (handgrip strength) and side effect outcome (nutrition impact symptoms) in HNC outpatients given intensive nutrition intervention with outpatients given routine care. This study also want to find association of Intensive nutrition intervention versus routine care in nutrition outcome, functional and side effect outcome in both group. Subjects in intervention group will received standardize ONS supplementation every day during treatments once daily with frequent dietary advice accordingly to the patients condition while control group will received standard routine care which includes frequent dietary advice without supplementation of ONS. Study hypothesis is there is no significant difference in nutritional outcome, functional outcome and side effect outcome between HNC outpatients receiving INI when compared to HNC outpatient receiving routine care undergoing radiotherapy treatment. There is also no association between these two groups in nutritional outcome, functional outcome and side effect outcome.

The aim of this experimental study is to evaluate the effect of nurse navigation in the management of symptoms associated with head and neck radiotherapy. All head and neck cancer patients who meet the study criteria of the Radiation Oncology Clinic of Selçuk University Medical Faculty Hospital will be included in the study. According to the previously prepared randomization list, the study group consisted of a total of 88 people, 41 in the experimental group and 47 in the control group. While the standard treatment approaches of the hospital are applied to all patients, a nursing navigation program will be applied in addition to the patients in the experimental group.Quality of life and toxicity criteria will be applied to all patients as measurement tools.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of an innovative supervised exercise program for patients with head and neck cancer (SEHNeCa) to ameliorate loss of lean body mass, functional capacity and quality of life during one year, compared to a reference group receiving a physical activity prescription to be performed autonomously. To identify the optimal timing for applying the supervised exercise program: in a Prehabilitation period, at least 2 weeks before starting the conventional chemoradiotherapy treatment and concomitant with it, or during a Rehabilitation period, starting 12 weeks after the first radiotherapy session, once standard treatment has finished. Design: a multicenter, randomized clinical trial, where patients will be randomized to 3 groups: one control group and 2 experimental with different timing of exercise intervention. Population: 120 patients diagnosed with histological locally advanced stage III-IVa-b with squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx, pharynx, oral cavity, salivary or in neck lymph nodes from an unknown primary tumour treated with curative intent undergoing radiotherapy with or without concomitant chemotherapy. SEHNeCa program: is a 12-week exercise program supervised by specially trained instructors combining moderate to high intensity aerobic and strength exercises (three 1 hour sessions a week). Outcome measurements: main outcome variable: change in body mass index at 6 months (multy-frecuenciy imoediance). Secondary variables at basal, 7, 12, 25, and 52 weeks after the beginning of radiotherapy include quality of life (general SF-36 and cancer specific quality of life -European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C-30-),functional capacity (6 min walking test), patient reported outcomes and treatment maximum adverse events. Analyses: Differences between treatment groups in changes in outcome variables will be analyzed on an intention to treat basis. We will use linear mixed models for longitudinal analysis of repeated measurements of continuous outcomes (SAS PROC MIXED) and generalized logistic mixed models for dichotomous (SAAS PROC GLIMMIX), considering intercept and time courses as random effects and testing the significance of the interaction of time slopes by treatment group.

Study hypothesis: ALTENS techniques, administered within the first 3 months after radiation completion, can improve radiation-induced dysphagia and associated symptoms in head and neck cancer patients. This beneficial effect is mediated by the reduction of chronic inflammatory response of swallowing musculature to radiation, consequently a reduction in muscle fibrosis. Primary study objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of ALTENS in relieving radiation-induced dysphagia. Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) scores will be used for this primary study endpoint.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine plus cisplatin, paclitaxel, and radiation therapy in treating patients who have advanced unresectable head and neck cancer.

Informed by a previous trial in general cancer patients, the investigators aim to conduct a multi-centre Phase III explanatory RCT to demonstrate a significant impact of PTSD Coach on levels of anxiety in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, including saliva and hair cortisol as bio-immunological indicators for stress. However, prior to proposing a larger trial requiring 267 patients, the investigators aim to demonstrate feasibility of recruitment and compliance with protocol procedures in a Phase II Pilot of 60 newly diagnosed HNC patients. The EG will receive PTSD Coach + usual care, compared to two control groups (UC and AC). AC will be comprised of a game app (e.g., Tetris, Candy Crush, or Solitaire) and will be structurally equivalent to the EG to control for distraction (attention on something pleasant or a task) and the human factor involved in usage prompting (i.e., same exposure time + contacts with personnel), since either distraction or the human contact with staff may, alone, lower anxiety. From a resource allocation perspective, it is important to know if the positive effects of PTSD Coach are due to the intervention itself or to the use of an app and its usage prompting. The investigators believe that PTSD Coach will be even more effective at reducing anxiety in HNC patients, as it teaches specific CBT techniques and uses psychoeducation already found to be more effective than distraction alone.

This is a prospective pilot study to investigate the potential clinical value of oxygen-enhanced magnetic resonance (OE-MRI) biomarkers in head and neck radiotherapy.

Clinical significance and current evidence: Radiation dermatitis occurs commonly in patients receiving chemoradiation for nasopharyngeal cancer; 50 to 60% develop grade 2 or higher dermatitis. This can result in significant morbidity, reduced aesthetic appearance, decrease in quality of life and delays in treatment. Current literature does not conclusively support the use of one agent over another for prevention of radiation dermatitis. The choice of agents used in clinical practice is highly variable, with aqueous agents being one of the commonest. Specific Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate if the investigational product (StrataXRT), a silicone-based gel, is superior to standard clinical practice in prevention of grade 2 or higher acute dermatitis in patients receiving chemoradiation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Trial Design: The study will be conducted using a prospective, double-blind randomized control trial in 2 institutions. Each arm will receive standard radiation to a total dose of 70 Gray (Gy) with concurrent chemotherapy. The primary objective is to compare the prevention of dermatitis and the primary endpoint is reached when grade 2 or higher dermatitis according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.03 scale occurs. Secondary objectives will be evaluation of the time to onset of dermatitis, the time to complete recovery from dermatitis and the degree of pain. Assessment of the patient's skin will be done at baseline, weekly during treatment, 1 week post treatment and unless the skin has resolved to baseline then every week up until 6 weeks post-treatment, which will mark the end of follow-up. The safety end-point is reached when grade 4 dermatitis occurs. Hypothesis and statistics: The investigators aim to demonstrate a 30% reduction in the incidence of grade 2 or higher dermatitis with StrataXRT. Using a 2-sided test at significance level 0.05 to detect the difference with a power of 80%, the investigators envisage a recruitment of 100-150 patients in total. The study duration is estimated to be 2 years.