Evaluating 111In Panitumumab for Nodal Staging in Head and Neck Cancer

March 3, 2026 updated by: Eben Rosenthal, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
This phase I trial tests the safety and effectiveness of indium In 111 panitumumab (111In-panitumumab) for identifying the first lymph nodes to which cancer has spread from the primary tumor (sentinel lymph nodes) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoing surgery. The most important factor for survival for many cancer types is the presence of cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes (metastasis). Lymph node metastases in patients with head and neck cancer reduce the 5-year survival by half. Sometimes, the disease is too small to be found on clinical and imaging exams before surgery. 111In-panitumumab is in a class of medications called radioimmunoconjugates. It is composed of a radioactive substance (indium In 111) linked to a monoclonal antibody (panitumumab). Panitumumab binds to EGFR receptors, a receptor that is over-expressed on the surface of many tumor cells and plays a role in tumor cell growth. Once 111In-panitumumab binds to tumor cells, it is able to be seen using an imaging technique called single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT). SPECT/CT can be used to make detailed pictures of the inside of the body and to visualize areas where the radioactive drug has been taken up by the cells. Using 111In-panitumumab with SPECT/CT imaging may improve identification of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer undergoing surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Assess the safety of indium In 111 panitumumab (111In-panitumumab) as a molecular imaging agent in patients with HNSCC.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Compare sensitivity and specificity of identifying sentinel lymph nodes by systemic injection of 111In-panitumumab prior to day of surgery versus conventional local injection with an optical dye at the time of surgery.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. Determine if systemic injection of 111In-panitumumab can identify tumor-positive lymph nodes on preoperative SPECT/CT.

II. When preoperative imaging information (eg, fludeoxyglucose F 18 [18F-FDG] positron emission tomography [PET]/CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) data is available:

IIa. Evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value of 111In-panitumumab SPECT/CT findings to the sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value of preoperative MRI in identifying metastatic lymph nodes (histopathological results will serve as the gold standard).

IIb. Evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value of 111In-panitumumab SPECT/CT findings to the sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value of preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT in identifying metastatic lymph nodes (histopathological results will serve as the gold standard).

OUTLINE:

Patients receive loading dose of panitumumab intravenously (IV) over 15 minutes followed by 111In-panitumumab IV bolus on day 0. Patients then undergo SPECT/CT scan between day 1 and day of standard of care surgery (up to day 5). During standard of care surgery, patients receive local injection of optical dye per surgeon's preference and undergo intraoperative and near infrared (NIR) imaging. Patients additionally undergo blood sample collection during screening and electrocardiography (ECG) during screening, on day 0, and on day 15 if indicated.

Patients are followed for up to 15 days after last dose of study medication.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Phase

  • Phase 1

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 Locations

  • United States
    • Tennessee
      • Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37232
        • Recruiting
        • Vanderbilt University/Ingram Cancer Center
        • Contact:
          • Vanderbilt-Ingram Service Services for Timely Access
          • Phone Number: 800-811-8480
          • Email: cip@vumc.org
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Eben Rosenthal, MD

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥ 19 years.
  • Biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, clinically-staged as node-negative (cN0) or as clinically-suspicious node(s).
  • Subjects diagnosed with any T stage, any subsite within the head and neck that are scheduled to undergo surgical resection. Subjects with recurrent disease or a new primary will be allowed.
  • Planned standard of care elective neck dissection for node-negative or node-positive disease.

  • Have acceptable hematologic status, kidney function, and liver function including the following clinical results:

    • Hemoglobin ≥ 9 gm/dL
    • White blood cell count > 3000/mm^3
    • Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
    • Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper reference range

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Myocardial infarction (MI); cerebrovascular accident (CVA); uncontrolled congestive heart failure (CHF); significant liver disease; or unstable angina within 6 months prior to enrollment.
  • History of infusion reactions to monoclonal antibody therapies
  • History of allergies to iodine
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Magnesium or potassium lower than the normal institutional values.
  • Subjects receiving Class IA (quinidine, procainamide) or Class III (dofetilide, amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmic agents.
  • Subjects with a history or evidence of interstitial pneumonitis or pulmonary fibrosis.
  • Severe renal disease or anuria.

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Diagnostic (panitumumab, 111In-panitumumab, SPECT/CT, surgery)
Patients receive loading dose of panitumumab IV over 15 minutes followed by 111In-panitumumab IV bolus on day 0. Patients then undergo SPECT/CT scan between day 1 and day of standard of care surgery (up to day 5). During standard of care surgery, patients receive local injection of optical dye per surgeon's preference and undergo intraoperative and NIR imaging. Patients additionally undergo blood sample collection during screening and ECG during screening, on day 0, and on day 15 if indicated.
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection
Undergo blood sample collection
Procedure: Computed Tomography
Undergo SPECT/CT
Procedure: Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
Undergo SPECT/CT
Procedure: Surgical Procedure
Undergo standard of care surgery
Biological: Panitumumab
Given by IV
Other: Indium In 111 Panitumumab
Given by IV
Other: Imaging agent
Receive local injection of optical dye
Procedure: Intraoperative Imaging
Undergo Intraoperative Imaging
Procedure: Near Infrared Imaging
Undergo Near Infrared Imaging
Procedure: Electrocardiography
Undergo Electrocardiography

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of adverse events grade 2 or higher
Time Frame: Up to 15 days after administration of study drug
Toxicity graded using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Summarized by grade, severity and type
Up to 15 days after administration of study drug

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sensitivity of systemic injection of indium In 111 panitumumab (111In-panitumumab) for identifying sentinel lymph nodes
Time Frame: Up to five years
Will compare the sensitivity of systemic injection of 111In-panitumumab for identifying sentinel lymph nodes to the sensitivity of conventional local injection with an optical dye at the time of surgery. Means and standard deviations for continuous characteristics will be presented. Frequency statistics will be presented for categorical variables. Graphical tools may be used to assess distributional properties of continuous variables.
Up to five years
Specificity of systemic injection of 111In-panitumumab for identifying sentinel lymph nodes
Time Frame: Up to five years
Will compare the specificity of systemic injection of 111In-panitumumab for identifying sentinel lymph nodes to the sensitivity of conventional local injection with an optical dye at the time of surgery. Means and standard deviations for continuous characteristics will be presented. Frequency statistics will be presented for categorical variables. Graphical tools may be used to assess distributional properties of continuous variables.
Up to five years

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

Collaborators

American Cancer Society, Inc.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Eben Rosenthal, MD, Vanderbilt University/Ingram Cancer Center

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)

August 22, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 4, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 4, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

June 13, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 3, 2026

Last Verified

February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • VICC-EDHAN23201P
  • NCI-2023-03821 (Registry Identifier: NCI, Clinical Trials Reporting Program)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

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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