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Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Chemoradiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer

Phase II Trial Of Induction Chemotherapy Followed By Attenuated Chemoradiotherapy For Locally Advanced Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Associated With Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01716195
Enrollment
18
Registered
2012-10-29
Start date
2012-10-31
Completion date
2020-10-01
Last updated
2021-02-26

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

Human Papillomavirus, HPV

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck cancer can be treated with a less aggressive regimen of radiation therapy and chemotherapy (paclitaxel) after initially receiving two cycles of chemotherapy (carboplatin/paclitaxel).

Detailed description

Given the toxicity of high dose cisplatin, attention has focused on identifying patients at lower risk for failure who may potentially benefit from less aggressive chemoradiotherapy approaches. HPV-positive Head and Neck Cancer responds favorably to radiation therapy. This has prompted investigators to suggest that patients with these cancers might be over-treated and unnecessarily subjected to the toxicity of intensive chemoradiotherapy with excessively high radiation doses. This study will select patients with HPV-positive Head and Neck cancer for attenuated therapy and may have important implications for individualization of care in the future. The regimen of carboplatin and paclitaxel was selected for the induction chemotherapy phase because of its ease of administration, improved toxicity profile, high rates of dose delivery, and excellent published results showing high response rates and overall survival. This study will use induction chemotherapy primarily as a means to select HPV-positive Head and Neck Cancer patients, who may benefit from significant radiation dose de-intensification in the concurrent chemoradiotherapy phase of treatment. The rationale for this risk-adapted approach to local therapy based on HPV status is to administer effective comprehensive treatment individualized at diagnosis and after assessment of response to induction chemotherapy (for patients with HPV-positive tumors), thus avoiding unnecessary and potentially toxic treatment, and hence optimizing the therapeutic ratio.

Interventions

RADIATIONInduction Chemotherapy followed by Response Adapted Chemoradiation

All patients receive induction chemotherapy with 2 cycles of paclitaxel and carboplatin followed by response adapted, de-escalated chemoradiation. Patients with a complete or partial response will receive 54 Gy with concurrent paclitaxel and patients with stable disease will receive 60 Gy with concurrent paclitaxel.

Sponsors

University of California, Davis
Lead SponsorOTHER

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

* Pathologically proven diagnosis of HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx. HPV-positivity will be defined as tumors that are p16-positive by immunohistochemistry. * Clinical stage III or IV disease; Note: Patients with M1 tumors are not eligible. * Appropriate stage for protocol entry, including no distant metastases, based upon minimum diagnostic workup * Zubrod Performance Status 0-1 * Age \> 18 * Adequate bone marrow function * Adequate hepatic function * Adequate renal function * Pregnancy test within 4 weeks prior to registration for women of childbearing potential * Women of childbearing potential and male participants must agree to use a medically effective means of birth control throughout their participation in the treatment phase of the study (until at least 60 days following the last study treatment) * Patient must sign study specific informed consent prior to study entry.

Exclusion criteria

* Prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) unless disease free for a minimum of 3 years; * Patients with simultaneous primaries or bilateral tumors are excluded. * Patients who present with a cervical lymph node metastasis of unknown primary origin; * Prior systemic chemotherapy for the study cancer; note that prior chemotherapy for a different cancer is allowable; * Prior radiotherapy that would result in overlap of radiation therapy fields; * Primary site of tumor of oral cavity, nasopharynx, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, or salivary glands; * Recurrent head and neck cancer; * Severe, active co-morbidity * Pregnant or lactating women or women of childbearing potential and men who are sexually active and not willing/able to use medically acceptable forms of contraception; this exclusion is necessary because the treatment involved in this study may be significantly teratogenic. * Prior allergic reaction to the study drug(s) involved in this protocol.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Participants With Progression-free SurvivalUp to 2 yearsDefined from date of registration to date of first documentation of progression and/or distant metastasis, or death due to any cause. The true 2-year progression-free survival rate will be estimated by the proportion of efficacy-evaluable patients on study without documentation of disease progression or death 2 years from registration. A 95% confidence interval (CI) for the true progression-free survival rate will be constructed using the Duffy-Santner approach. However, Kaplan-Meier methodology will be used to estimate the final 2-year progression-free survival rate and its 95% CI in case there are censored patients.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Participants With Overall SurvivalUp to 5 yearsDefined as the time from registration to death using the Kaplan-Meier method..
Number of Patients With Toxicity of Concurrent ChemoradiotherapyUp to 5 yearsAssessed by NCI Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Effects, Version 4.0. Reported participants who experienced an AE during concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Response Adapted Chemoradiation
Paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 + Carboplatin area under curve (AUC) 6 followed by response adapted Radiation Therapy (5 - 6 weeks) + Paclitaxel Induction Chemotherapy followed by Response Adapted Chemoradiation: All patients receive induction chemotherapy with 2 cycles of paclitaxel and carboplatin followed by response adapted, de-escalated chemoradiation. Patients with a complete or partial response will receive 54 Gy with concurrent paclitaxel and patients with stable disease will receive 60 Gy with concurrent paclitaxel.
18
Total18

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicResponse Adapted Chemoradiation
Age, Continuous63.1 years
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
1 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
16 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
17 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
17 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
1 / 18
other
Total, other adverse events
13 / 18
serious
Total, serious adverse events
2 / 18

Outcome results

Primary

Number of Participants With Progression-free Survival

Defined from date of registration to date of first documentation of progression and/or distant metastasis, or death due to any cause. The true 2-year progression-free survival rate will be estimated by the proportion of efficacy-evaluable patients on study without documentation of disease progression or death 2 years from registration. A 95% confidence interval (CI) for the true progression-free survival rate will be constructed using the Duffy-Santner approach. However, Kaplan-Meier methodology will be used to estimate the final 2-year progression-free survival rate and its 95% CI in case there are censored patients.

Time frame: Up to 2 years

Population: One subject withdrew consent prior to completing study

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Response Adapted ChemoradiationNumber of Participants With Progression-free Survival17 Participants
Secondary

Number of Participants With Overall Survival

Defined as the time from registration to death using the Kaplan-Meier method..

Time frame: Up to 5 years

Population: One subject withdrew consent prior to completing study.

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Response Adapted ChemoradiationNumber of Participants With Overall Survival16 Participants
Secondary

Number of Patients With Toxicity of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

Assessed by NCI Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Effects, Version 4.0. Reported participants who experienced an AE during concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Time frame: Up to 5 years

Population: One subject withdrew consent prior to completing study.

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Response Adapted ChemoradiationNumber of Patients With Toxicity of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy17 Participants

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 10, 2026