Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for Reduced-intensity Therapy for Oropharyngeal Cancer in Non-smoking HPV-16 Positive Patients

Study Description

Brief Summary: Taking into account the excellent prognosis of patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer with \< 10 pack-year smoking, the investigators hypothesize that reducing the intensity of therapy for these patients will reduce treatment sequelae, notably long-term dysphagia, without affecting their cure rates. The main Aim is to assess whether reducing treatment intensity, by replacing concurrent chemotherapy with cetuximab, will indeed achieve improved long-term toxicity. The primary objectives include the following: to confirm that reducing treatment intensity in patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer and \< 10 pack-year smoking history by replacing concurrent chemotherapy with concurrent cetuximab, does not significantly increase the proportion of patients whose tumors recur, compared to our previous experience in similar patients receiving chemo-RT and to compare the toxicity in patients receiving cetuximab-RT to similar patients treated with 7 weeks of chemotherapy concurrent with RT ("standard therapy") in UMCC 2-21.

Detailed Description: The investigators have shown in past experience a high success in getting rid of oropharyngeal cancer (tonsil or base of tongue cancer) using chemotherapy and radiation therapy in patients who have not smoked, or only smoked a minimal amount of cigarettes or equivalent. In these patients, the cancer is thought to be caused by a virus (Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV). HPV is a virus that infects the epidermis (outermost layer of skin) and mucous membranes of humans. In general, patients with HPV-related cancer such as yours have a better prognosis compared with patients whose tumors are smoking-related. Taking into account the good prognosis, it is possible that reducing the intensity of therapy will not affect the high rate of tumor control, while reducing the side-effects of therapy. In this study, the investigators plan to reduce the intensity of treatment by replacing the currently used chemotherapy drugs with an FDA approved drug, cetuximab, which is a monoclonal antibody to a growth factor which helps cancer cells grow. By opposing the effect of the growth factor, cetuximab may help radiotherapy kill cancer cells without a lot of effect on the normal tissue. It differs from chemotherapy in its more selective activity against tumors compared to normal tissue Cetuximab has the chance to preserve the high rate of success in killing the tumor but may reduce the side effects and complications of therapy in comparison to chemotherapy drugs. The investigators would also like to know if taking cetuximab has any effect on certain cancer-related molecules in the cancer and the normal cells inside the cheek. They would like to test this by taking a small biopsy of the tumor, as well as a swab of the inside of the cheek, before and shortly after the start of therapy.

Keywords

Eligibility

Minimum Age: 18 Years

Eligible Ages: ADULT, OLDER_ADULT

Sex: ALL

Healthy Volunteers: No

Locations

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