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Pirfenidone as a Radiosensitizer in the Treatment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Application of Pirfenidone as a Radiosensitizer in the Treatment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Phase II Clinical Study

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06142318
Enrollment
66
Registered
2023-11-21
Start date
2023-11-15
Completion date
2025-06-30
Last updated
2023-11-21

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

Conditions

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Pirfenidone, Radiosensitizer, Radiotherapy

Brief summary

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 50%. Radiotherapy is an important measure to control tumor recurrence. Although radiotherapy has been widely used in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, the 2-year local recurrence rate of patients with locally advanced disease is still as high as 50%-60%, and the distant metastasis rate is as high as 20%-30%. This is associated with a lower radiosensitivity in HNSCC. Our previous study has confirmed that type I collagen secreted by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) can enhance the radioresistance of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We also confirmed that pirfenidone could reduce type I collagen expression in CAFs and enhance radiosensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, we plan to translate the basic research into clinical practice and conduct a prospective interventional phase II clinical trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of pirfenidone as a radiosensitizer in HNSCC.

Interventions

DRUGPirfenidone

Dose climbing started two weeks before the start of radiotherapy, and the maintenance dose of 600mg bid was reached in the third week until the end of radiotherapy.

DRUGPlacebo

Dose climbing started two weeks before the start of radiotherapy, and the maintenance dose of 600mg bid was reached in the third week until the end of radiotherapy.

Sponsors

Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

1. be at least 18 years old; 2. provide written informed consent; 3. head and neck squamous cell carcinoma confirmed by biopsy (2022 WHO criteria); 4. no previous head and neck radiotherapy; 5. The presence of measurable lesions: no surgical treatment or postoperative imaging evaluation indicated that the tumor was not completely resected; 6. ECOG PS: 0/1; 7. Laboratory confirmation of good organ function. It should be given within 10 days before the first dose of treatment; 8) expected survival time ≥3 months.

Exclusion criteria

1. no indications for or contraindications to radiotherapy after evaluation; 2. no oral medication; 3. pregnancy or lactation; 4. patients with known allergy to pirfenidone or other contraindications; 5. concurrent tumors (except cured basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, and cervical cancer in situ); 6. patients had any serious coexisting medical conditions that could pose an unacceptable risk or negatively affect trial adherence. For example, unstable heart disease requiring treatment, chronic hepatitis, kidney disease, poor condition, uncontrolled diabetes (fasting blood glucose \> 1.5 × ULN), and mental illness.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Objective response rate (ORR)1 monthThe objective response rate (ORR) is the proportion of patients who achieve a prespecified reduction in tumor volume that is maintained for a minimum duration. The objective response rate was defined as the sum of complete response plus partial response (CR+PR). According to RECIST1.1 criteria, CR was defined as the disappearance of target lesions and the reduction of the short diameter of pathological lymph nodes to less than 10mm. PR: the sum of the measured diameters of the target lesions reduced by 30% compared with the baseline; PD: the sum of the major diameters of all target lesions increased by at least 20%, and the absolute value of the sum of the major diameters increased by more than 5mm, or new lesions appeared. SD: Changes between PR and PD.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall survival (OS)2 yearsOS was defined as the time from the date of inclusion until death from any cause.
Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse EventsDuring treatment and 12 weeks after treatmenttreatment-related adverse events will be assessed by CTCAE v5.0

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
the biomarkers correlated with ORR and OS2 yearsThe correlations between ORR, OS and cancer associated fibroblasts, collagen type I, PD-L1 expression in tissues, tumor mutation burden, tumor-related gene changes, plasma cytokines or other biomarkers were explored.

Countries

China

Outcome results

None listed

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