Active clinical trials for "Oropharyngeal Neoplasms"

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of gefitinib when given together with radiation therapy with or without cisplatin in treating patients with stage III or stage IV head and neck cancer. Biological therapies such as gefitinib may interfere with the growth of tumor cells and slow the growth of cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining gefitinib and radiation therapy with cisplatin may kill more tumor cells

To investigate the treatment related effects of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) or oncological treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma with a 1-year follow up.

This phase I trial studies how well talactoferrin works in treating patients with relapsed or refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or squamous cell head and neck cancer. Biological therapies, such as talactoferrin, may stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop tumor cells from growing

Standard-of-care treatment options for oropharyngeal cancer often result in long-term side effects that interfere with normal quality of life. A minimally-invasive transoral robotic surgery (TORS) approach has been developed to operate on the disease site while affecting the surrounding tissue as little as possible. Researchers think that this approach may help to control the disease and avoid such long-term side effects. The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if minimally-invasive transoral robotic surgery (TORS) can help to control HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer. Transoral means through the mouth. The TORS approach is called the Intuitive Surgical da Vinci Surgical System. Researchers also want to learn if this surgery affects participants' ability to speak and swallow.

RATIONALE: Erlotinib hydrochloride may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Erlotinib hydrochloride may also make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x- rays and other types of radiation to kill tumor cells. Giving erlotinib hydrochloride together with radiation therapy may be an effective treatment for patients with head and neck cancer.PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving erlotinib hydrochloride together with radiation therapy works in treating patients with stage III-IV squamous cell cancer of the head and neck.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of adding the investigational drug Motexafin Gadolinium to the standard treatment of radiation therapy and chemotherapy with drugs called 5-FU and cisplatin in patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

The goal of this observational longitudinal study is to learn about circulating tumor Human Papilloma Virus-DNA (ctHPV-DNA) as a biomarker for HPV positive oropharyngeal cancer and cancer of unknown primary of the head and neck. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can ctHPV-DNA be used for treatment evaluation in HPV positive oropharyngeal cancer and cancer of unknown primary of the head and neck? Can circulating HPV-DNA be used as a biomarker for recurrent disease during surveillance? Participants will be asked to leave plasma samples at diagnose, at the end of treatment and at every clinical follow-up. The patients are there own controls.

This study looks at the use of three cycles of chemotherapy given prior to radiation therapy in patients with cancer of the oral cavity and evidence of prior exposure to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Patients with cancer of the oral cavity who have evidence of exposure to HPV have a better prognosis than those who do not have such evidence of exposure to HPV. The main hypothesis of this study is that using three cycles of chemotherapy prior to embarking on radiation therapy will allow the use of reduced doses of radiation therapy and, therefore, less radiation induced side-effects. The primary objective is to determine the activity of this pre-radiation chemotherapy strategy along with reduced dose levels of radiation with or without chemotherapy during the radiation phase. The effectiveness of the strategy will be assessed at three months following the completion of the radiation therapy phase and also at two years following completion of the radiation therapy.

The purpose of this research study is to see if it is possible to collect tissue, saliva and blood samples from patients who are having surgery and send those samples to different labs across MUSC. The researchers in these labs will collect tissue, blood and saliva samples before surgery and during surgery to see if there are any changes in the samples. They will compare the changes in the samples to the clinical outcomes. Patients will also be given surveys to evaluate patient preferences, anxiety/distress, symptom severity, support by HPV status.

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if utomilumab, when given with ISA101b, is able to shrink or slow the growth of tumors in patients with incurable HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. This is an investigational study. Utomilumab and ISA101b are not FDA approved or commercially available. They are currently being used for research purposes only. The study doctor can explain how the study drugs are designed to work. Up to 27 participants will be enrolled. All will take part at MD Anderson.