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Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy, and Cetuximab in Treating Patients With the Head and Neck Cancer

Phase II Study Evaluating Radiotherapy-chemotherapy and Cetuximab in Patients With Histologically Proven Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity, Oropharynx, Hypopharynx, or Larynx and With a Poor Prognosis After Complete Surgical Resection

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00875849
Acronym
AACER
Enrollment
53
Registered
2009-04-03
Start date
2008-03-31
Completion date
2013-12-31
Last updated
2025-09-30

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Head and Neck Cancer

Keywords

recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, stage II squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, stage II squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, stage II squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity, recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, stage II squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, stage III squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, tongue cancer

Brief summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Giving chemotherapy together with radiation therapy and cetuximab may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well chemotherapy given together with radiation therapy and cetuximab works in treating patients with head and neck cancer.

Detailed description

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Evaluate disease-free survival at 2 years in patients with poor prognosis squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with chemoradiotherapy and cetuximab after complete surgical resection. Secondary * Evaluate quality of life. * Evaluate tolerability. * Evaluate overall survival. * Analyze germinal polymorphisms. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients receive cetuximab IV on day 1. Treatment with cetuximab repeats every week for up to 8 courses. Patients also receive cisplatin IV on day 8. Treatment with cisplatin repeats every 3 weeks for up to 3 courses. Patients undergo concurrent radiotherapy 5 times a week for 7 weeks beginning on day 8. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed at 1 month and then every 3 months for 2 years.

Interventions

BIOLOGICALcetuximab
DRUGcisplatin
RADIATIONradiation therapy

Sponsors

Centre Antoine Lacassagne
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx * Must have undergone complete macroscopic resection * Presence of ≥ 1 of the following poor prognostic factors after complete resection: * Incomplete microscopic resection and N+ * Complete microscopic resection and \> 2 N+ * Vascular and/or lymphatic embolism * At least 2 peripheral nerve invasions * Positive surgical margins and pT4 lesion * No metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * WHO performance status 0-2 * ANC \> 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL * Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Serum creatinine \< 1.25 times ULN and/or creatinine clearance \> 55 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No serious and disabling cardiac, renal, hepatic, or respiratory failure * No coronary artery disease or myocardial infarction within the past year * No uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia * Other active and serious diseases allowed at discretion of the investigator * No known severe allergy to cisplatin, cetuximab, or any of their excipients * No other malignant disease diagnosed within the past 5 years except for basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ cervical cancer * No psychological, familial, social, or geographic situations that preclude clinical follow up PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior treatment (except surgery) for this cancer or another head and neck cancer * At least 3 months since prior treatment with an investigational agent

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Disease-free survival at 2 years2 YEARS

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 8, 2026