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Cisplatin, Nab-Paclitaxel, and Cetuximab (CACTUX) in Patients With Incurable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Phase 2 Single Arm Trial of Cisplatin, Nab-Paclitaxel, and Cetuximab (CACTUX) in Patients With Incurable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02270814
Acronym
CACTUX
Enrollment
74
Registered
2014-10-21
Start date
2015-02-02
Completion date
2026-09-30
Last updated
2026-08-28

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

Conditions

Cancer of the Head and Neck, Head and Neck Cancer, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Brief summary

The purpose of this research study is to look at the effect of a treatment regimen called CACTUX on head and neck cancer. The CACTUX regimen is a combination of three drugs called cisplatin, nab-paclitaxel, and cetuximab (although carboplatin may be given in place of cisplatin if participants have previously had problems receiving cisplatin). The use of nab-paclitaxel in this combination is different from routine care, in which a drug called 5FU is often given instead, but the investigators group has conducted previous research where the investigators incorporated nab-paclitaxel into routine treatment with cisplatin, 5FU, and cetuximab. The investigators are looking at the incidence of side effects with the CACTUX regimen as well as response of the disease and health status.

Interventions

DRUGnab-paclitaxel
DRUGCisplatin
DRUGCarboplatin
BIOLOGICALCetuximab

Sponsors

Washington University School of Medicine
Lead SponsorOTHER
Celgene Corporation
CollaboratorINDUSTRY

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 or cytologically confirmed incurable HNSCC of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, hypopharynx, and/or Level 1-3 neck node with non-skin SCC and unknown primary. "Incurable" is defined as metastatic disease or a local or regional recurrence in a previously irradiated site that is unresectable (or patient declines resection). * Measurable disease defined as lesions that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded) as ≥ 10 mm with CT scan, as ≥ 20 mm by chest x-ray, or ≥ 10 mm with calipers by clinical exam per RECIST 1.1. * At least 18 years of age. * ECOG performance status ≤ 1 * Adequate hematologic, renal, and hepatic function as defined below: * Leukocytes ≥ 3,000/mcL * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mcl * Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcl * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) ≤ 2.5 x IULN, alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 x IULN, unless bone metastasis is present in the absence of liver metastasis * Creatinine at or below IULN (males 0.7-1.30 mg/dl; females 0.6-1.10 mg/dl) OR Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal * At least 4 months since completion of curative therapy, if given previously. * Availability of diagnostic tumor tissue specimens for correlative studies. * Women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control, abstinence) prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 3 months after completing treatment. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she must inform her treating physician immediately. * Ability to understand and willingness to sign an IRB approved written informed consent document (or that of legally authorized representative, if applicable).

Exclusion criteria

* Prior systemic therapy for incurable disease. * Grade 2 or higher peripheral neuropathy at screening. * A history of other malignancy ≤ 2 years previous; exceptions are malignancies with a negligible risk of metastasis or death (e.g., expected 5-year OS \> 90%) that were treated with an expected curative outcome, such as squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, in-situ carcinoma of the cervix uteri, non-melanomatous skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the breast, incidental finding of prostate cancer (TNM stage of T1a or T1b), or synchronous H\&N primaries * Currently receiving any other investigational agents. * Known brain metastases. Patients with known brain metastases must be excluded from this clinical trial because of their poor prognosis and because they often develop progressive neurologic dysfunction that would confound the evaluation of neurologic and other adverse events. * A history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to cisplatin, nab-paclitaxel, or other agents used in the study. Previous grade 1 or 2 allergic reaction to cetuximab is permissible. * Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements. * Pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Patient must have a negative pregnancy test within 72 hours of start of study treatment. * Known HIV-positivity on combination antiretroviral therapy because of the potential for pharmacokinetic interactions with the study drugs. In addition, these patients are at increased risk of lethal infections when treated with marrow-suppressive therapy. Appropriate studies will be undertaken in patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy when indicated.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Progression-free survival (PFS)Until the time of progressive disease, death, or completion of follow-up (estimated to be 24 months)PFS is defined as the time from randomization to first radiologic confirmation of disease progression, or death from any cause.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall survival (OS)Until the time of death or completion of follow-up (estimated to be 24 months)OS is defined as the time from randomization to death.
Overall response rateThrough completion of treatment (estimated to be 8 months)Overall response rate = complete response + partial response Evaluated using RECIST 1.1.
Instances of Grade 3 and 4 adverse eventsFrom start of treatment through 28 days after completion of treatment (estimated to be 9 months)Adverse events will be recorded from the date of first dose of study drug (nab-paclitaxel) until 28 days after the last dose of study drug. The descriptions and grading scales found in the revised NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 3.0 will be utilized for all toxicity reporting.
Progression-free survival (PFS) - with maintenance therapyUntil the time of progressive disease, death, or completion of follow-up (estimated to be 24 months)PFS on maintenance therapy is defined as time from first dose of maintenance therapy to first radiologic confirmation of disease progression, or death from any cause.
Disease control rateThrough completion of follow-up (estimated to be 24 months)Disease control = complete response + partial response + stable disease Evaluated using RECIST 1.1

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORDouglas R Adkins, M.D.

Washington University School of Medicine

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Aug 29, 2026