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Treatment De-Intensification for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx

A Phase II Study on Treatment De-Intensification in Favorable Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01088802
Enrollment
60
Registered
2010-03-17
Start date
2010-03-31
Completion date
2019-10-31
Last updated
2022-11-08

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

Conditions

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Oropharynx

Keywords

Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Oropharynx

Brief summary

This research is being done to try to reduce radiation side effects that happen with the standard radiation methods. Generally surgery, radiation therapy, and sometimes chemotherapy are standard treatment for people with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx. The study will look at giving a slightly smaller dose of radiation (de-intensification) to see if regularly expected late toxicities (two years after receiving treatment) can be reduced. This study will also try to see if the smaller dose of radiation is equally effective at treating the cancer and to see if it improves quality of life. Along with this radiation treatment plan some participants in this study will have surgery on their tumor and or receive chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin). The possible surgery and or chemotherapy will be up to the participant's doctor. Study participants will be tested for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). This tissue test is required for this study. Some studies have suggested that HPV-related cancer is biologically and clinically different as compared to non-HPV-related cancer. Some studies have found that patients with HPV-related oropharynx cancer have a better response to treatment. This test will help researchers learn more about HPV-related cancer.

Interventions

RADIATIONIMRT

Dose de-escalation (from 70 Gy to 63 Gy and from 58.1 Gy to 50.75 Gy, same number of fractions (N=35) in 7 weeks)

DRUGCisplatin

Cisplatin will be administered weekly for the first 3 weeks and the last 3 weeks of radiation. Patients will not receive chemotherapy during week 4 of treatment.

DRUGCarboplatin

Carboplatin will be administered weekly during the 7 weeks of radiation. Carboplatin may be given as a substitution for cisplatin when cisplatin-related toxicities occur or when patients present with greater than grade 2 sensory or motor neuropathy, greater than 2 hearing loss, or less than 60 ml/min creatinine clearance.

Sponsors

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Biopsy-proven SCC of the oropharynx (tonsil, base of tongue, pharyngeal wall or palate). * Tumor positive for infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) virus. * T stage: 1, 2 or T3. Surgery of the primary tumor is limited to incisional or excisional biopsies (i.e tonsillectomy) even without macroscopic disease left. Positive resection margins and/or gross residual disease at the primary site are allowed. * Any N stage, but resectable; lymph nodes in both sides of the neck are at risk of metastatic disease, according to clinical judgment, and require irradiation; pretreatment surgery in the neck in the forms of incisional/excisional biopsy or a multilevel neck dissection is allowed only if there is gross tumor left at the primary site. * No other malignancy except for non-myelomatous skin cancer, early stage prostate cancer (T\<2a and PSA\<10 and GLS\<7) or a carcinoma not of head and neck origin disease free for \> 5 yrs. * Cannot have distant metastasis (M0) * ECOG performance status 0-1. * Patient's nutritional and general physical condition must be considered compatible with the proposed radiotherapeutic treatment. * Patient is judged to be mentally reliable to follow instructions and to keep appointments. * Patient is on no other treatment for head and neck cancer. * Signed study-specific informed consent prior to registration.

Exclusion criteria

* Evidence of distant metastases. * Absence of macroscopic disease after upfront surgery * Previous irradiation for head and neck tumor; concurrent chemotherapy other than the treatment per protocol; previous chemotherapy ≤ 3 months from start of RT. * Active untreated infection. * Major medical or psychiatric illness, which in the investigators' opinions would interfere with either completion of therapy and follow-up or with full and complete understanding of the risks and potential complications of the therapy. * Prophylactic use of amifostine or pilocarpine is not allowed. * Patients with greater than 1- pack years of smoking history and/or currently a smoker at the time of treatment

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percentage of Patients Free of Grade 3+ Late Toxicity2 yearsThe goal is to achieve a prevalence of \< 15% grade 3+ late toxicity at 2 years; reported as percentage of patients who were free of grade 3+ adverse events (AEs) as measured by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 4.0 (CTCAE v4.0) between 6 months and 24 months. The outcome is reported as percentage of patients who were free of grade 3+ adverse events.
Percentage of Patients With Locoregional Tumor Control2 yearsLocoregional tumor control \> 85 + or - 7% at 2 years; measured through progression-free survival (the time from assignment in a clinical trial to disease progression or death from any cause). Locoregional tumor control is reported as percentage of patients meeting this criteria.
Adverse Events and Their CausePretreatment, 3 months, then every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months for years 3-5To determine the nature and prevalence of side effects at different time intervals and describe their relationship to pretreatment function and local dose and treated volume.
Quality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)Baseline, 6-8 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4-5 year visitDetermine quality of life of surviving patients measured by patient reported outcomes: -MDADI-Self-administered assessment on patient swallowing ability. There are 19 questions specific to swallowing that study patients completed. Composite score is the average of the 19 questions. The scale is 20 (extremely low functioning) to 100 (high functioning). Composite score is reported.
Quality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN)Baseline, 6-8 weeks, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4-5 year visitDetermine quality of life of surviving patients measured by patient reported outcomes: MDASI-HN-Self-reported assessment. Measures symptom severity in previous day. Study patients answered 9 specific questions specific to head and neck cancer. Symptom severity scores, from 0 (not present) to 10 (worst possible). Composite score calculated average of individual scores. Mean module (head and neck) symptom severity is reported.
Quality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)Baseline, 6-8 weeks, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4-5 year visitDetermine quality of life of surviving patients measured by patient reported outcomes: XQ measures severity of radiation-induced xerostomia and patient reported quality of life. 8 question total:4 on dryness while eating/chewing, 4 on dryness when not eating/chewing. 0-10 (higher scores=severe dryness/discomfort). Composite Scores range from 0 (no xerostomia) -100 (highest level of xerostomia).

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

Patients were recruited from Johns Hopkins' Radiation/Medical Oncology clinics from 2010-2016.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With Chemotherapy
This protocol combines selective radiation therapy dose de-escalation (from 70 Gy to 63 Gy and from 58.1 Gy to 50.75 Gy, same number of fractions (N=35) in 7 weeks) in patients with HPV-associated cancers of the oropharynx IMRT: Dose de-escalation (from 70 Gy to 63 Gy and from 58.1 Gy to 50.75 Gy, same number of fractions (N=35) in 7 weeks) Cisplatin: Cisplatin will be administered weekly for the first 3 weeks and the last 3 weeks of radiation. Patients will not receive chemotherapy during week 4 of treatment. Carboplatin: Carboplatin will be administered weekly during the 7 weeks of radiation. Carboplatin may be given as a substitution for cisplatin when cisplatin-related toxicities occur or when patients present with greater than grade 2 sensory or motor neuropathy, greater than 2 hearing loss, or less than 60 ml/min creatinine clearance.
60
Total60

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicDose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With Chemotherapy
Age, Continuous59.3 years
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
black/african american
3 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
hispanic/latino
1 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
white/caucasian
56 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
60 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
7 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
53 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
1 / 60
other
Total, other adverse events
60 / 60
serious
Total, serious adverse events
54 / 60

Outcome results

Primary

Adverse Events and Their Cause

To determine the nature and prevalence of side effects at different time intervals and describe their relationship to pretreatment function and local dose and treated volume.

Time frame: Pretreatment, 3 months, then every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months for years 3-5

Population: Data was not collected to assess this outcome.

Primary

Percentage of Patients Free of Grade 3+ Late Toxicity

The goal is to achieve a prevalence of \< 15% grade 3+ late toxicity at 2 years; reported as percentage of patients who were free of grade 3+ adverse events (AEs) as measured by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 4.0 (CTCAE v4.0) between 6 months and 24 months. The outcome is reported as percentage of patients who were free of grade 3+ adverse events.

Time frame: 2 years

Population: 5/60 patients did not have adverse event data captured for the period.

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyPercentage of Patients Free of Grade 3+ Late Toxicity86 percentage of participants
Primary

Percentage of Patients With Locoregional Tumor Control

Locoregional tumor control \> 85 + or - 7% at 2 years; measured through progression-free survival (the time from assignment in a clinical trial to disease progression or death from any cause). Locoregional tumor control is reported as percentage of patients meeting this criteria.

Time frame: 2 years

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyPercentage of Patients With Locoregional Tumor Control92 percentage of participants
Primary

Quality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)

Determine quality of life of surviving patients measured by patient reported outcomes: -MDADI-Self-administered assessment on patient swallowing ability. There are 19 questions specific to swallowing that study patients completed. Composite score is the average of the 19 questions. The scale is 20 (extremely low functioning) to 100 (high functioning). Composite score is reported.

Time frame: Baseline, 6-8 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4-5 year visit

Population: Some patients did not respond to QoL assessment for the various time points.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)Baseline87.71 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 13.72
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)6-8 week visit77.75 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 13.42
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)6 month visit78.62 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 13.45
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)1 year visit86.18 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 11.86
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)2 year visit87.64 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 11.35
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)3 year visit88.16 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 9.68
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)4-5 year visit89.48 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 9.62
Primary

Quality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN)

Determine quality of life of surviving patients measured by patient reported outcomes: MDASI-HN-Self-reported assessment. Measures symptom severity in previous day. Study patients answered 9 specific questions specific to head and neck cancer. Symptom severity scores, from 0 (not present) to 10 (worst possible). Composite score calculated average of individual scores. Mean module (head and neck) symptom severity is reported.

Time frame: Baseline, 6-8 weeks, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4-5 year visit

Population: Some patients did not respond to QoL assessment for the various time points.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN)4-5 year visit0.9 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 0.81
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN)baseline0.45 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 0.6
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN)6-8 week visit4.17 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.97
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN)1 year visit1.06 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.07
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN)2 year visit0.98 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.05
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN)3 year visit0.92 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.02
Primary

Quality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)

Determine quality of life of surviving patients measured by patient reported outcomes: XQ measures severity of radiation-induced xerostomia and patient reported quality of life. 8 question total:4 on dryness while eating/chewing, 4 on dryness when not eating/chewing. 0-10 (higher scores=severe dryness/discomfort). Composite Scores range from 0 (no xerostomia) -100 (highest level of xerostomia).

Time frame: Baseline, 6-8 weeks, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4-5 year visit

Population: Some patients did not respond to QoL assessment for the various time points.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)baseline0.65 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 0.89
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)6-8 week visit6.23 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 3.24
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)1 year visit3.27 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.26
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)2 year visit2.96 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.16
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)3 year visit2.87 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.96
Dose De-escalating Radiation Therapy With ChemotherapyQuality of Life Measured Through Patient-reported Outcome Measures on Assessments: Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)4-5 year visit2.67 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.05

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