A Study Comparing Geriatric Co-Management With Geriatric Guided Supportive Care in Older Patients Receiving Chemoradiation Therapy for Their Head and Neck Cancer

January 6, 2026 updated by: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of Geriatric Comanagement or Geriatric Guided Supportive Care for Older Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Receiving Radiation and Chemotherapy

The researchers are doing this study to see whether geriatric co-management or geriatric guided supportive care are good approaches for managing side effects in older patients who have head and neck cancer and are receiving chemoradiation therapy. This study will provide valuable information about different ways to manage side effects in older patients receiving chemoradiation therapy.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Yingzhi Wu, NP
  • Phone Number: 917-902-2972
  • Email: wuy2@mskcc.org

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New Jersey
      • Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States, 07920
        • Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge (Limited Protocol Activities)
      • Middletown, New Jersey, United States, 07748
        • Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth (Limited protocol activities)
      • Montvale, New Jersey, United States, 07645
        • Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen (Limited Protocol Activities)
    • New York
      • Commack, New York, United States, 11725
        • Memorial Sloan Kettering Suffolk- Commack (Limited Protocol Activities)
      • New York, New York, United States, 10065
        • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (All Protocol Activities)
      • Uniondale, New York, United States, 11553
        • Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau (Limited protocol activities)

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

61 years and older (Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥ 65
  • Pathologically (histologically or cytologically) diagnosis of head and neck cancer of oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx
  • Patient will receive a 6 to 7 week course of intensity modulated radiation therapy and concurrent chemotherapy either in definitive or post-operative setting
  • Able to read and understand English
  • Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who have previously consulted with or are followed by a geriatrician
  • Inability to use telemedicine if unable to present to clinic visits in person
  • Inability to complete the eRFA (patient is unable to comprehend or answer questions included on the eRFA)
  • Treatment with proton therapy
  • Patients on therapeutic clinical trials of experimental therapies or those not receiving standard of care

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: geriatric co-management
Geriatric co-management involves a consultation with a geriatrician prior to initiating head and neck radiation and chemotherapy. Consultation with geriatricians can occur in-person or remotely via telemedicine. During this visit, the geriatrician will review the results of the eRFA and create a plan to manage geriatric deficits. Geriatric co-management involves optimization of comorbid conditions, management of polypharmacy, and supportive care referrals to address geriatric deficits. Geriatricians also work in conjunction with the treating oncologists to ensure patients have appropriate pain management and bowel regimens. Additional follow up visits after the initial consultation are at the discretion of the geriatrician may vary between patients depending on the clinical need.
Other: geriatric co-management
Geriatric co-management involves a consultation with a geriatrician prior to initiating head and neck radiation and chemotherapy.
Experimental: geriatric guided supportive care
Geriatric guided supportive care will be carried out by oncologists. After the patient completes the eRFA, an automated report is generated that identifies the patient's geriatric deficits. The automated report also includes suggested interventions for each deficit (e.g, referral to physical therapy. For instance, automated suggestions for a patient with a history of falls include consultation with physical therapy, neurologic evaluation, a home safety evaluation, or use of supportive devices. Automated recommendations for patient with high level of distress or depression include referral to psychiatry or social work, involvement in a cancer support group, or additional time spent addressing questions and fears. The oncology team will review the automated report from the eRFA and create an intervention plan prior to initiation of head and neck radiation and chemotherapy.
Other: geriatric guided supportive care
Geriatric guided supportive care will be carried out by oncologists. After the patient completes the eRFA, an automated report is generated that identifies the patient's geriatric deficits.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
proportion of patients with hospital admission (geriatric co-management arm)
Time Frame: 2 years
The proportion of patients hospitalized during the course of chemoradiation either at MSKCC or an outside hospital will be assessed for each arm.
2 years
proportion of patients with hospital admission (geriatric guided supportive care arm)
Time Frame: 2 years
The proportion of patients hospitalized during the course of chemoradiation either at MSKCC or an outside hospital will be assessed for each arm.
2 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Nancy Lee, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 3, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 5, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 5, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 3, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 3, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 14, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 8, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 6, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 22-016

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center supports the international committee of medical journal editors (ICMJE) and the ethical obligation of responsible sharing of data from clinical trials. The protocol summary, a statistical summary, and informed consent form will be made available on clinicaltrials.gov when required as a condition of Federal awards, other agreements supporting the research and/or as otherwise required. Requests for deidentified individual participant data can be made beginning 12 months after publication and for up to 36 months post publication. Deidentified individual participant data reported in the manuscript will be shared under the terms of a Data Use Agreement and may only be used for approved proposals. Requests may be made to: crdatashare@mskcc.org.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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