De-intensification of Radiation & Chemotherapy in Low-Risk Human Papillomavirus-related Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Ca

Phase II Study of De-intensification of Radiation and Chemotherapy for Low-Risk HPV-related Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The purpose of this research study is to learn about the effectiveness of using lower-intensity radiation and chemotherapy to treat human papillomavirus (HPV) associated low-risk oropharyngeal and/or unknown primary squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. The cure rate for this type of cancer is estimated to be high, > 90%. The standard treatment for this cancer is 7 weeks of radiation with 3 high doses of cisplatin. Sometimes surgery is performed afterwards. This standard regimen causes a lot of side effects and long term complications. This study is evaluating whether a lower dose of radiation and chemotherapy may provide a similar cure rate as the longer, more intensive standard regimen. Patients in this study will receive 1 less week of radiation and a lower weekly dose of chemotherapy followed by a limited surgical evaluation.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Head and Neck Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms
• Intervention / Treatment: Radiation: Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT); Drug: Cisplatin; Procedure: Limited surgical evaluation

Detailed Description

The aim is to evaluate the pathological response rate of HPV positive and/or p16 positive low-risk oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) after de-intensified chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Patients will receive 54 to 60 Gy of Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) with concurrent weekly intravenous cisplatin (30 mg/m2). Diagnostic imaging (CT and/or MRI) will be obtained 4 to 8 weeks after completion of CRT to assess response. All patients will have surgical resection of any clinically apparent residual primary tumor or biopsy of the primary site if there is no evidence of residual tumor and will undergo a limited neck dissection to encompass at least those nodal level(s) that were positive pre-treatment, 4 to 14 weeks after CRT. The primary endpoint of this study is the rate of pathological complete response (pCR) after CRT. Longitudinal assessments of quality of life and patient reported outcomes will be obtained prior to, during, and after CRT.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 45
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Colorado
    • Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, 80907
      • Penrose Cancer Center
  • Florida
    • Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32610-0385
      • University of Florida, Department of Radiation Oncology
  • North Carolina
    • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27599
      • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Radiation Oncology
    • Raleigh, North Carolina, United States, 27607
      • Rex Healthcare
    • Raleigh, North Carolina, United States, 27614
      • Rex Cancer Center of Wakefield

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. ≥ 18 years of age
2. T0-3, N0 to N2c, M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx
3. Biopsy proven squamous cell carcinoma that is HPV and/or p16 positive
4. ≤ 10 pack-years smoking history or > 5 years of abstinence from smoking
5. History/physical examination within 8 weeks prior to registration
6. Radiologic confirmation of the absence of hematogenous metastasis within 12 weeks prior to registration.
7. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status 0-1
8. Complete Blood Count (CBC)/differential obtained within 4 weeks prior to registration, with adequate bone marrow function defined as follows: Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,800 cells/mm3; Platelets ≥ 100,000 cells/mm3; Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dl.
9. Adequate renal and hepatic function within 4 weeks prior to registration, defined as follows: Serum creatinine < 2.0 mg/dl; Total bilirubin < 2 x the institutional upper limit of normal (ULN); aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) < 3 x the institutional ULN.
10. Negative serum pregnancy test within 2 weeks prior to registration for women of childbearing potential.
11. Women of childbearing potential and male participants who are sexually active must practice adequate contraception during treatment and for 6 weeks following treatment.
12. Patients must be deemed able to comply with the treatment plan and follow-up schedule.
13. Patients must provide study specific informed consent prior to study entry.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Prior history of radiation therapy to the head and neck
2. Prior history of head and neck cancer.
3. Severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows: Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months; Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months; Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy at the time of registration; Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects; Note, however, coagulation parameters are not required for entry into this protocol; Pre-existing ≥ grade 2 neuropathy; Prior organ transplant.
4. Known HIV positive
5. Significant pre-existing hearing loss, as defined by the patient or treating physician.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: NA
• Interventional Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Masking: NONE

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

EXPERIMENTAL: De-escalated Radiation and Chemotherapy; Patients will receive 54 to 60 Gy of Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) with concurrent weekly intravenous cisplatin (30 mg/m2). Diagnostic imaging (CT and/or MRI) will be obtained 4 to 8 weeks after completion of CRT to assess response. All patients will have surgical resection of any clinically apparent residual primary tumor or biopsy of the primary site if there is no evidence of residual tumor and will undergo a limited neck dissection to encompass at least those nodal level(s) that were positive pre-treatment, 4 to 14 weeks after CRT.

Radiation: Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT); All patients will receive IMRT. Dose painting IMRT will be used and all doses will be specified to the planning target volume (PTV). The high risk planning target volume (PTV-HR) and standard risk planning target volume (PTV-SR) will be treated to the following respective total doses: 60 Gy and 54 Gy. The dose per fraction to the PTV-HR and PTV-SR will be 2 Gy per day and 1.8 Gy per day, respectively. The PTV-HR will include the gross tumor and the PTV-SR will include the lymph nodes at risk for harboring micro-metastatic disease (i.e. subclinical disease).; Drug: Cisplatin; Cisplatin, 30mg/m2, will be given intravenously over 60 minutes weekly during IMRT; 6 total doses for a total of 180 mg/m2. It is preferred that the doses be administered on days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, and 36 of IMRT; however, this is not mandatory.; Other Names: Platinol; Procedure: Limited surgical evaluation; 4 to 14 weeks after completion of CRT, patients will have at least a biopsy of the primary tumor and limited neck surgery to remove those lymph nodes that were involved with cancer prior to CRT.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pathologic Complete Response Rate After De-escalated CRT in HPV-positive and/or p16 Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OPSCC).	Pathologic Complete Response Rate is defined as no evidence of residual viable cancer in the evaluated pathological specimens.	6 to 14 weeks after the last patient is enrolled, or approximately 24 to 32 months after study being opened

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Two-Year Local Control	Local control is the arrest of cancer growth at the site of origin.	Median follow-up was 36 months with a range of 5-53 months
Regional Control	Regional control is the percentage of participants who displayed control of cancer in sites that represent the first stages of spread from the local origin.	Median follow-up was 36 months with a range of 5-53 months
Cause-Specific Survival	Cause-specific survival is the percentage of participants who have not died from low-risk low-risk OPSCC.	The median follow-up was 36 months with a range of 5-53 months
Distant Metastases Free Survival	Distant metastases free survival is the percentage of subjects in a study who have survived without cancer spread.	the median follow-up was 36 months with a range of
Overall Survival Rate	The percentage of participants who are still alive from the start of treatment.	Median follow-up was 36 months with a range of 5-53 months.
European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-H&N-35	The head & neck cancer module of the EORTC QLQ comprises 35 questions assessing symptoms and side effects of treatment, social function and body image/sexuality. The head & neck cancer module incorporates seven multi-item scales that assess pain, swallowing, senses (taste and smell), speech, social eating, social contact and sexuality. There are also eleven single items. Most questions used 4 point scale (1 'Not at all' to 4 'Very much'); several single item questions (Pain killers, nutritional supplements, feeding tube, weight loss, and weight gain) were just coded as no=1, yes=2. The scores of these scales were averaged from the scores of the component items, transformed and analyzed on a 0 - 100 scale. For all items and scales, high scores indicate more problems (i.e. there are no function scales in which high scores would mean better functioning).	Prior to CRT, 4-8 weeks after CRT, follow-up visits for 2 years after CRT
European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 Global Health Status/QoL	The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a cancer-specific instrument with 30 questions which incorporates 9 multi-item scales: 5 functional scales (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social); 9 symptom scales (fatigue, pain, nausea and vomiting, dyspnea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea and financial difficulties); and a global health and quality-of-life scale. Most questions used 4 point scale (1 'Not at all' to 4 'Very much'); 2 questions used 7-point scale (1 'very poor' to 7 'Excellent'). The scores of these scales were averaged from the scores of the component items, transformed and analyzed on a 0 - 100 scale. A higher score=better level of functioning or greater degree of symptoms.	Prior to CRT, 4-8 weeks after CRT, follow-up visits for 2 years after CRT
The Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) Composite Score	The EAT-10 is a 10 item, validated self-administered instrument for documenting dysphagia severity. This questionnaire uses symptom-specific scores to assess dysphasia with solids, liquids, and pills as well as the impact of dysphagia on mental, social, and physical health. Higher raw scores represent worse QoL. All items have a 0-4 scale where 0 represents no problem and 4 represents severe problem. Total score can range from 0 to 40.	Prior to CRT, 4-8 weeks after CRT, follow-up visits for 2 years after CRT
The Rosenbek Penetration Aspiration Scale	The Rosenbek Penetration Aspiration Scale will be used to quantify dysphagia. It is an 8-point, equal-appearing interval scale to describe penetration and aspiration events. The measure was used for thin substances, pureed substances, and solid substances. 1. Material does not enter airway 2. Material enters the airway, remains above the vocal folds, and is ejected from the airway. 3. Material enters the airway, remains above the vocal folds, and is not ejected from the airway. 4. Material enters the airway, contacts the vocal folds, and is ejected from the airway. 5. Material enters the airway, contacts the vocal folds, and is not ejected from the airway. 6.Material enters the airway, passes below the vocal folds, and is ejected into the larynx or out of the airway. 7. Material enters the airway, passes below the vocal folds, and is not ejected from the trachea despite effort. 8. Material enters the airway, passes below the vocal folds, and no effort is made to eject.	Prior to CRT and 4-8 weeks after completion of CRT

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Ang KK, Harris J, Wheeler R, Weber R, Rosenthal DI, Nguyen-Tan PF, Westra WH, Chung CH, Jordan RC, Lu C, Kim H, Axelrod R, Silverman CC, Redmond KP, Gillison ML. Human papillomavirus and survival of patients with oropharyngeal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2010 Jul 1;363(1):24-35. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0912217. Epub 2010 Jun 7.
• Mavroidis P, Price A, Fried D, Kostich M, Amdur R, Mendenhall W, Liu C, Das S, Marks LB, Chera B. Dose-volume toxicity modeling for de-intensified chemo-radiation therapy for HPV-positive oropharynx cancer. Radiother Oncol. 2017 Aug;124(2):240-247. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2017.06.020. Epub 2017 Jul 13.
• Chera BS, Amdur RJ, Tepper J, Qaqish B, Green R, Aumer SL, Hayes N, Weiss J, Grilley-Olson J, Zanation A, Hackman T, Funkhouser W, Sheets N, Weissler M, Mendenhall W. Phase 2 Trial of De-intensified Chemoradiation Therapy for Favorable-Risk Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2015 Dec 1;93(5):976-85. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2015.08.033. Epub 2015 Aug 22.

Helpful Links

• Clinical trial summary from the National Cancer Institute's PDQ® database

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): February 7, 2012
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): November 1, 2014
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): November 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 20, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 7, 2012
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): February 10, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): December 9, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 7, 2021
• Last Verified: December 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Chemotherapy; Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Radiation Therapy; Human Papilloma Virus; p16; Oropharynx; Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Pharyngeal Neoplasms; Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms; Pharyngeal Diseases; Stomatognathic Diseases; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell; Neoplasms; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms; Antineoplastic Agents; Cisplatin
• Other Study ID Numbers: LCCC 1120