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Radiation Therapy

Reduced Intensity Radiation for Head and Neck Cancer

Phase 2
Waitlist Available
Led By Wade Thorstad, MD
Research Sponsored by Washington University School of Medicine
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Patients with pathologically proven tumors of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx treated with surgical resection with one (or both) side(s) of the neck pathologically N0
Indication for radiation therapy at the primary site or neck with specific characteristics including close margin (<= 0.5 cm), positive margin, perineural invasion, lymphovascular space invasion, metastatic disease in more than one lymph node, metastatic disease in more than one lymph node group, extracapsular extension in any lymph node, or considered at risk based on multi-disciplinary tumor board discussion
Must not have
Previous head and neck surgery
Previous head and neck cancer other than non melanoma skin cancer
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up completion of follow-up (minimum of 5 years from completion of treatment)
Awards & highlights
No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial is testing whether reducing radiation to parts of the neck without cancer can help spare side effects from radiation for head and neck cancer.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for adults over 18 with certain types of head and neck cancer, specifically in the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx. They should have had surgery already and show no signs of cancer on one or both sides of their neck. The trial isn't open to those who've had previous head and neck cancers (except non-melanoma skin cancer), prior head and neck surgeries, or women who are pregnant or nursing.
What is being tested?
The study is testing whether reducing radiation therapy to areas without evident cancer can lessen side effects for patients with head and neck cancer. It involves adjusting the amount of radiation away from healthy tissue after surgical removal of tumors.
What are the potential side effects?
While not explicitly listed here, common side effects from intensity modulated radiation therapy may include skin changes similar to sunburns, fatigue, dry mouth/throat issues due to less saliva production, difficulty swallowing, taste changes, and potential dental problems.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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My cancer in the mouth or throat was surgically removed and did not spread to my neck.
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I need radiation therapy due to certain high-risk features of my cancer.
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I am 18 years old or older.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
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I have had surgery on my head or neck before.
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I have had head and neck cancer before, but not skin cancer.
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I am not pregnant or nursing.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~completion of follow-up (minimum of 5 years from completion of treatment)
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and completion of follow-up (minimum of 5 years from completion of treatment) for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Number of Participants With a Recurrence in the Unirradiated Neck(s)
Secondary study objectives
Kaplan Meier Estimate of Locoregional Recurrence Free Survival
Patterns of Failure Associated With Implementation of Primary Objective
Quality of Life (QOL) as Measured by Overall Global QOL Scores
+1 more

Side effects data

From 2016 Phase 2 trial • 68 Patients • NCT00057785
90%
Dry mouth
87%
Salivary gland disorder NOS
75%
Hemoglobin decreased
75%
Late RT toxicity: Salivary gland: NOS
74%
Radiation mucositis
74%
Fatigue
74%
Leukopenia NOS
68%
Nausea
63%
Dermatitis radiation NOS
60%
Late RT toxicity: Mucous membrane: NOS
59%
Weight decreased
49%
Hearing impaired
49%
Late RT toxicity: Other: NOS
49%
Neutropenia
47%
Late RT toxicity: Auditory/hearing: NOS
46%
Vomiting NOS
41%
Esophagitis NOS
41%
Late RT toxicity: Esophagus: NOS
40%
Late RT toxicity: Subcutaneous tissue (within RT field): NOS
38%
Hyponatremia
35%
Pain-other
35%
Dysphagia
35%
Pain due to radiation
34%
Peripheral sensory neuropathy
32%
Late RT toxicity: Skin (within RT field): NOS
29%
Alopecia
28%
Dehydration
28%
Blood albumin decreased
28%
Taste disturbance
26%
Platelet count decreased
26%
Anorexia
25%
Hypocalcemia
25%
Hearing-Other
24%
Hyperglycemia NOS
24%
Lymphopenia
22%
Hypokalemia
22%
Stomatitis
22%
Blood magnesium decreased
22%
Epistaxis
21%
Constipation
19%
Late RT toxicity: Joint: NOS
19%
Edema NOS
19%
Renal/GU-Other
19%
Late RT toxicity: Larynx: NOS
19%
Alanine aminotransferase increased
18%
Blood creatinine increased
16%
Cough
15%
Hypothyroidism
15%
Pyrexia
15%
Headache NOS
13%
Diarrhea NOS
13%
Skin discoloration
13%
Aspartate aminotransferase increased
13%
Blood alkaline phosphatase NOS increased
12%
Hematologic-Other
12%
GI-other
12%
Skin-Other
10%
Hyperkalemia
10%
Metabolic-Other
10%
Otitis media serous NOS
10%
Infection NOS
9%
Hypophosphatemia
9%
Esophageal spasm
9%
Hypotension NOS
9%
Blood bilirubin increased
9%
Peripheral motor neuropathy
9%
Dyspnea NOS
9%
Dermatitis exfoliative NOS
9%
Erythema multiforme
7%
Rigors
7%
Gamma-glutamyltransferase increased
7%
Dysphonia
7%
Hiccups
7%
Rhinitis allergic NOS
6%
Late RT toxicity: Bone (incl. osteonecrosis): NOS
6%
Packed red blood cell transfusion
6%
Infection with grade 3 or 4 neutropenia
6%
Earache
6%
Dizziness (exc vertigo)
6%
Neuralgia NOS
6%
Confusion
6%
Insomnia NEC
6%
Pulmonary-other
6%
Toxicoderma
6%
Joint, muscle, or bone-Other
4%
Febrile neutropenia
4%
Syncope
4%
Hypoxia
4%
Pneumonitis NOS
3%
Otitis externa (exc boil of meatus) NOS
3%
Endocrine-Other
3%
Infection, Other
3%
Hallucination NOS
1%
Sinus tachycardia
1%
Supraventricular arrhythmia NOS
1%
Ventricular arrhythmia NOS
1%
Implant infection
1%
Infection with unknown ANC
1%
CD4 lymphocytes decreased
1%
Inappropriate ADH secretion
1%
Leukocytes for BMT
1%
Weight increased
1%
Acidosis NOS
1%
Tumour pain
1%
Neurologic-Other
1%
Hemorrhage NOS
1%
Thrombosis NOS
1%
Left ventricular failure
1%
Anxiety NEC
1%
Depression NEC
1%
Renal failure NOS
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Study treatment Arm
IMRT +/- Chemotherapy

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group
All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)Experimental Treatment1 Intervention
-This study provides guidelines for volume to be contoured during IMRT based on tumor site and stage of tumor site. The clinical tumor volume (CTV)1 will be treated to 66 Cy in 33 fractions or 60 Gy in 30 fractions. The CTV2 will be treated to 54 Gy in 33 fractions or 52 Gy in 30 fractions. The CTV3 will be modified based on tumor site and stage of tumor site in order to reduce volume.
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Intensity modulated radiation therapy
2003
Completed Phase 2
~140

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Washington University School of MedicineLead Sponsor
2,000 Previous Clinical Trials
2,344,188 Total Patients Enrolled
Wade Thorstad, MDPrincipal InvestigatorWashington University School of Medicine
1 Previous Clinical Trials
5 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (Radiation Therapy) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT00593840 — Phase 2
Laryngeal Cancer Research Study Groups: Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
Laryngeal Cancer Clinical Trial 2023: Intensity modulated radiation therapy Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT00593840 — Phase 2
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (Radiation Therapy) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT00593840 — Phase 2
~4 spots leftby Dec 2025