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A Study for Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer

Phase 2 Study of Pemetrexed in Combination With Cisplatin and Cetuximab in Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01057589
Enrollment
66
Registered
2010-01-27
Start date
2010-02-28
Completion date
2012-10-31
Last updated
2013-09-18

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

Conditions

Head and Neck Neoplasms

Keywords

Pharynx, Larynx, Cervical esophagus, Nose, Thyroid Gland, Parathyroid Gland

Brief summary

The purpose of this trial is to estimate progression free survival in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer that have not received chemotherapy in this setting.

Detailed description

A 12 patient safety lead will evaluate side effects in patients receiving at least 2 cycles of the combination pemetrexed, cisplatin and cetuximab.

Interventions

DRUGPemetrexed

Triplet Combination Therapy: 500 mg/m\^2 administered intravenously on Day 1 of 21 day cycle for up to 6 cycles Maintenance Therapy: 500mg/m\^2 administered intravenously on Day 1 of 21 day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity

DRUGCetuximab

Triplet Combination Therapy: 400 mg/m\^2 administered intravenously on Day 1 of 21 day cycle for 1 cycle; 250 mg/m\^2 administered IV infusion on Day 1 of 21 day cycle and then weekly for up to 6 cycles. Maintenance Therapy: 250 mg/m\^2 administered intravenously on Day 1 of 21 day cycle and then weekly until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity

DRUGCisplatin

Triplet Combination Therapy: 75mg/m\^2 administered intravenously on Day 1 of 21 day cycle for up to 6 cycles.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTFolic Acid

Standard of care dietary supplements: 350 to 1000 µg orally 5 times a day for the 7 days preceding the first dose of first dose of pemetrexed and continuing throughout treatment and for 21 days after the last dose of pemetrexed.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTVitamin B12

Standard of care dietary supplements: 1000 µg IM during the week preceding the first dose of pemetrexed and every 9 weeks thereafter.

Sponsors

Eli Lilly and Company
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Histologically confirmed diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN) * Recurrent or metastatic SCCHN, not amenable to local therapy * At least 6 months since completion of systemic therapy (chemotherapy or biological anticancer therapy) * No more than 1 prior systemic therapy, given as part of multimodal treatment for locally advanced disease; * No prior systemic therapy for metastatic disease * Radiation therapy must be completed at least 4 weeks before study enrollment. * For palliative therapy, prior radiation therapy allowed to \<25% of the bone marrow (Cristy and Eckerman 1987), and prior radiation to the whole pelvis is not allowed. * Surgery (excluding prior diagnostic biopsy) must be completed at least 4 weeks before study enrollment. * An estimated life expectancy of at least 12 weeks. * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 or 1 (Oken et al. 1982). * Biological tissue available for biomarker analysis on tumor tissue. * Disease status may be measurable or nonmeasurable as defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors * Patient compliance and geographic proximity that allow for adequate follow-up. * Adequate organ function * Willingness to comply with Contraceptive Regimen * For women: Must be surgically sterile, postmenopausal, or compliant with a medically approved contraceptive regimen \[for example, intrauterine device (IUD), birth control pills, or barrier device\] during and for 6 months after the treatment period; must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 7 days before study enrollment, and must not be breast-feeding. For men: Must be surgically sterile or compliant with a contraceptive regimen during and for 6 months after the treatment period.

Exclusion criteria

* Nasopharyngeal, paranasal sinus, lip, or salivary gland cancer. * Previously received treatment with monoclonal antibody therapy, or other signal transduction inhibitors of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor therapy. * Are receiving concurrent chronic systemic immune therapy, or chemotherapy for a disease other than cancer. * Serious concomitant systemic disorder (for example, active infection) or psychiatric disorder that, in the opinion of the investigator, would compromise the patient's ability to complete the study. * Have serious cardiac disease, such as symptomatic , unstable angina, or the history of myocardial infarction in the previous 12 months. * Second primary malignancy that is clinically detectable at the time of consideration for study enrollment. * Have had another primary malignancy other than Head and Neck cancer, unless that prior malignancy was treated at least 2 years previously with no evidence of recurrence. Exception: Patients with a history of in situ carcinoma of the cervix, nonmelanoma skin cancer, or low-grade (Gleason score less than or equal to 6) localized prostate cancer will be eligible even if diagnosed and treated less than 2 years previously. * Presence of clinically significant (by physical exam) third-space fluid collections; for example, ascites or pleural effusions that cannot be controlled by drainage or other procedures prior to study entry. * Have peripheral neuropathy * Have central nervous system (CNS) metastases (unless the patient has completed successful local therapy for CNS metastases and has been off corticosteroids for at least 4 weeks before starting study therapy). Brain imaging is required in symptomatic patients to rule out brain metastases, but is not required in asymptomatic patients. * Inability to interrupt aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, other than an aspirin dose less than or equal to 1.3 grams per day, for a 5-day period (8-day period for long-acting agents, such as piroxicam). * Unable or unwilling to take folic acid, vitamin B12, or prophylactic corticosteroids. * Recent (within 30 days before enrollment) or concurrent yellow fever vaccination. * Pregnant or breast-feeding

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Progression Free Survival (PFS)Baseline to date of PD or death up to 18.7 monthsPFS based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) Guidelines defined as the time from the date of first dose of study drug to first documented objective progressive disease (PD) or death from any cause. PD is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of longest diameter (LD) of target lesions taking as reference the smallest sum LD recorded since the treatment started or the appearance of one or more new lesions.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall Survival (OS)Baseline to date of death up to 18.7 monthsOS defined as the time from the date of first dose of study drug to the date to death from any cause.
Percent of Participants With a Partial Response (PR) or a Complete Response (CR)Date of first response to PD (up to 18.7 months)CR and PR based on RECIST Guidelines: CR is defined as the disappearance of all tumor lesions; PR is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the LD of target lesions taking as reference the baseline sum LDs or the complete disappearance of target lesions, with persistence (but not worsening) of one or more nontarget lesions and the appearance of no new lesions. PD is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of LD of target lesions taking as reference the smallest sum LD recorded since the treatment started or the appearance of one or more new lesions.
Change From Baseline in Participant Reported European-Quality of Life 5 Dimension Instrument (EQ-5D) Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at End of Triplet Combination Therapy and End of Maintenance TherapyBaseline, End of Triplet Combination Therapy (up to Cycle 6 [4.2 months]), End of Maintenance Therapy (up to 18.7 months)Vertical VAS - a 20 millimeter (mm), fractionated scale in the form of a thermometer with endpoints of 0 (worst imaginable health state) and 100 (best imaginable health state). Participants used the EQ-5D VAS scale to rate their overall health on the day the questionnaire was administered. Possible change values range from -100 (best imaginable health at baseline changed to worst possible health at visit) to 100 (worst possible health at baseline changed to best possible health at visit).
Change From Baseline in Participant Reported EQ-5D Utility Score at End of Triplet Combination Therapy and End of Maintenance TherapyBaseline, End of Triplet Combination Therapy (up to 6 cycles [4.2 months]) , End of Maintenance Therapy (up to 18.7 months)EQ-5D Index is derived by converting the Descriptive System (participant is required to rate health by checking 1 \[no limitation\], 2 \[some limitation\] or 3 \[severe or complete limitation\] in 5 dimensions \[mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/comfort and anxiety/depression\]) to a single summary index. A utility value assigned to each individual's health state based on the absence or presence of moderate or severe problems in the 5 dimensions. A regression equation defines a utility value for these health states. The possible values for health utility ranged from -0.59 (severe problems in all 5 dimensions) to 1 (no problem in all dimensions) on a scale where 0 represents death and 1 represents the best possible health state. Possible change values range from -1.59 (no problems at baseline to severe problems at visit) to 1.59 (severe problems at baseline to no problems at visit).
Change From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)Baseline, Triplet Combination Therapy Cycles 2, 4, 6 (cycle = 21 days) and optional Maintenance Therapy Cycles 1, 3, 5 and 7 (cycle = 21 days)PSS-HNC is a clinician-rated instrument designed to measure speaking and eating disabilities of participants with head and neck cancer and consists of 3 subscales: Normalcy of Diet (NOD) subscale measures the ability of the participants to eat a normal diet, scale ranged from 0 (non-oral feeding) to 100 (unrestricted diet); Understandability of Speech (UOS)subscale measured the degree a clinician was able to understand the participant's speech, subscale ranged from 0 (never understandable) to 100 (always understandable); Eating in Public (EIP) subscale, rating based on clinician question to the participant to report who he/she eats with and in what setting, subscale ranged from 0 (always eats alone) to 100 (no restriction of place, food, or companion). Change from baseline: negative value represents a decrease in function and a positive value represents an increase in function.

Countries

Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Pemetrexed Cisplatin Cetuximab
Pemetrexed 500 mg/m\^2 administered by IV infusion followed by cisplatin 75 mg/m\^2 administered by IV infusion both given on Day 1 of each 21 day cycle. Cetuximab 400 mg/m\^2 administered by IV infusion initially as a loading dose in Week 1, subsequent weeks cetuximab 250 mg/m\^2 administered by IV infusion once per week for a maximum of six 21 day cycles. At the discretion of the investigator participants who completed at least 4 cycles of triplet combination therapy could continue to receive pemetrexed plus cetuximab in the maintenance setting or as a monotherapy of pemetrexed or cetuximab alone in the absence of PD, unacceptable toxicity or any other withdrawal criterion up to 19 months. Participants also received Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 as standard of care dietary supplements.
66
Total66

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyAdverse Event10
Overall StudyDeath8
Overall StudyDisease Progression35
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up1
Overall StudyPhysician Decision8
Overall StudySponsor Decision1
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject3

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicPemetrexed Cisplatin Cetuximab
Age Continuous61.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.56
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
White
66 participants
Region of Enrollment
Belgium
8 participants
Region of Enrollment
France
4 participants
Region of Enrollment
Germany
32 participants
Region of Enrollment
Italy
8 participants
Region of Enrollment
Spain
13 participants
Region of Enrollment
United Kingdom
1 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
13 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
53 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
65 / 66
serious
Total, serious adverse events
45 / 66

Outcome results

Primary

Progression Free Survival (PFS)

PFS based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) Guidelines defined as the time from the date of first dose of study drug to first documented objective progressive disease (PD) or death from any cause. PD is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of longest diameter (LD) of target lesions taking as reference the smallest sum LD recorded since the treatment started or the appearance of one or more new lesions.

Time frame: Baseline to date of PD or death up to 18.7 months

Population: Protocol Qualified (PQ) Population: all randomized and treated participants

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabProgression Free Survival (PFS)4.4 months
Secondary

Change From Baseline in Participant Reported EQ-5D Utility Score at End of Triplet Combination Therapy and End of Maintenance Therapy

EQ-5D Index is derived by converting the Descriptive System (participant is required to rate health by checking 1 \[no limitation\], 2 \[some limitation\] or 3 \[severe or complete limitation\] in 5 dimensions \[mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/comfort and anxiety/depression\]) to a single summary index. A utility value assigned to each individual's health state based on the absence or presence of moderate or severe problems in the 5 dimensions. A regression equation defines a utility value for these health states. The possible values for health utility ranged from -0.59 (severe problems in all 5 dimensions) to 1 (no problem in all dimensions) on a scale where 0 represents death and 1 represents the best possible health state. Possible change values range from -1.59 (no problems at baseline to severe problems at visit) to 1.59 (severe problems at baseline to no problems at visit).

Time frame: Baseline, End of Triplet Combination Therapy (up to 6 cycles [4.2 months]) , End of Maintenance Therapy (up to 18.7 months)

Population: PQ Population: all randomized and treated participants with EQ-5D data at respective timepoint.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Participant Reported EQ-5D Utility Score at End of Triplet Combination Therapy and End of Maintenance TherapyChange at End of Triplet Therapy (n=29)0.05 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 0.23
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Participant Reported EQ-5D Utility Score at End of Triplet Combination Therapy and End of Maintenance TherapyChange at End of Maintenance Therapy (n=15)-0.02 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 0.291
p-value: 0.223t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.788t-test, 2 sided
Secondary

Change From Baseline in Participant Reported European-Quality of Life 5 Dimension Instrument (EQ-5D) Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at End of Triplet Combination Therapy and End of Maintenance Therapy

Vertical VAS - a 20 millimeter (mm), fractionated scale in the form of a thermometer with endpoints of 0 (worst imaginable health state) and 100 (best imaginable health state). Participants used the EQ-5D VAS scale to rate their overall health on the day the questionnaire was administered. Possible change values range from -100 (best imaginable health at baseline changed to worst possible health at visit) to 100 (worst possible health at baseline changed to best possible health at visit).

Time frame: Baseline, End of Triplet Combination Therapy (up to Cycle 6 [4.2 months]), End of Maintenance Therapy (up to 18.7 months)

Population: PQ Population: all randomized and treated participants with evaluable data for each category

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Participant Reported European-Quality of Life 5 Dimension Instrument (EQ-5D) Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at End of Triplet Combination Therapy and End of Maintenance TherapyChange at End of Triplet Therapy (n=23)-1.2 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 14.28
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Participant Reported European-Quality of Life 5 Dimension Instrument (EQ-5D) Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at End of Triplet Combination Therapy and End of Maintenance TherapyChange at End of Maintenance Therapy (n=11)-10.6 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 21.51
p-value: 0.697t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.132t-test, 2 sided
Secondary

Change From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)

PSS-HNC is a clinician-rated instrument designed to measure speaking and eating disabilities of participants with head and neck cancer and consists of 3 subscales: Normalcy of Diet (NOD) subscale measures the ability of the participants to eat a normal diet, scale ranged from 0 (non-oral feeding) to 100 (unrestricted diet); Understandability of Speech (UOS)subscale measured the degree a clinician was able to understand the participant's speech, subscale ranged from 0 (never understandable) to 100 (always understandable); Eating in Public (EIP) subscale, rating based on clinician question to the participant to report who he/she eats with and in what setting, subscale ranged from 0 (always eats alone) to 100 (no restriction of place, food, or companion). Change from baseline: negative value represents a decrease in function and a positive value represents an increase in function.

Time frame: Baseline, Triplet Combination Therapy Cycles 2, 4, 6 (cycle = 21 days) and optional Maintenance Therapy Cycles 1, 3, 5 and 7 (cycle = 21 days)

Population: PQ Population: all randomized and treated participants with evaluable data at respective timepoint.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)NOD-Change at Triplet Cycle 6 (n=24)3.3 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 23.5
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)NOD-Change at Maintenance Cycle 1 (n=23)0.4 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 29.9
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)NOD-Change at Maintenance Cycle 3 (n=10)-1.0 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 21.3
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)EIP-Change at Maintenance Cycle 1 (n=23)-8.7 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 38.1
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)UOS-Change at Triplet Cycle 2 (n=53)0.5 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 18
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)NOD-Change at Triplet Cycle 2 (n=53)-0.4 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 20.8
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)NOD-Change at Triplet Cycle 4 (n=41)3.9 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 24.2
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)NOD-Change at Maintenance Cycle 5 (n=6)8.3 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 20.4
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)NOD-Change at Maintenance Cycle 7 (n=5)-8.0 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 11
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)EIP-Change at Triplet Cycle 2 (n=46)2.7 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 25.4
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)EIP-Change at Triplet Cycle 4 (n=37)-6.8 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 29.3
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)EIP-Change at Triplet Cycle 6 (n=22)-3.4 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 20.8
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)EIP-Change at Maintenance Cycle 3 (n=10)-10.0 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 21.1
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)EIP-Change at Maintenance Cycle 5 (n=6)-4.2 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 24.6
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)EIP-Change at Maintenance Cycle 7 (n=5)-15.0 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 22.4
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)UOS-Change at Triplet Cycle 4 (n=41)-4.3 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 17.6
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)UOS-Change at Triplet Cycle 6 (n=24)-10.4 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 22
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)UOS-Change at Maintenance Cycle 1 (n=23)-1.1 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 14.1
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)UOS-Change at Maintenance Cycle 3 (n=10)-2.5 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 7.9
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)UOS-Change at Maintenance Cycle 5 (n=6)-12.5 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 34.5
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabChange From Baseline in Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNC)UOS-Change at Maintenance Cycle 7 (n=5)-15.0 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 33.5
p-value: 0.9t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.31t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.49t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.95t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.89t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.36t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.18t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.47t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.17t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.45t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.29t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.17t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.7t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.21t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.85t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.13t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.03t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.71t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.34t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.41t-test, 2 sided
p-value: 0.37t-test, 2 sided
Secondary

Overall Survival (OS)

OS defined as the time from the date of first dose of study drug to the date to death from any cause.

Time frame: Baseline to date of death up to 18.7 months

Population: PQ Population: all randomized and treated participants

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabOverall Survival (OS)9.7 months
Secondary

Percent of Participants With a Partial Response (PR) or a Complete Response (CR)

CR and PR based on RECIST Guidelines: CR is defined as the disappearance of all tumor lesions; PR is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the LD of target lesions taking as reference the baseline sum LDs or the complete disappearance of target lesions, with persistence (but not worsening) of one or more nontarget lesions and the appearance of no new lesions. PD is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of LD of target lesions taking as reference the smallest sum LD recorded since the treatment started or the appearance of one or more new lesions.

Time frame: Date of first response to PD (up to 18.7 months)

Population: PQ Population: all randomized and treated participants with evaluable data; 6 participant's results were unknown.

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Pemetrexed Cisplatin CetuximabPercent of Participants With a Partial Response (PR) or a Complete Response (CR)29.3 percentage of participants

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026