The combined use of chemotherapeutic drugs with radiation has proven to be effective in improving overall survival and local control among patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. Induction chemotherapy given before receiving local treatment has been shown to reduce the rate of distant failure. Many drugs have been found to prevent tumor cells from growing or dividing, although it has yet to be determined which agent, or specific combination of agents, is most effective in treating head and neck cancer. Docetaxel is a drug which has been reported to show promising activity in Phase II head and neck cancer studies. Therefore, the purpose of this trial is to compare the effectiveness of induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy versus the same chemoradiotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.
TRIAL DESIGN: Phase III trial of induction therapy with docetaxel followed by chemoradiotherapy versus chemoradiotherapy alone in patients with nodal stage N2 or N3 head and neck cancer OBJECTIVES: Primary * To determine the effect on overall survival when induction chemotherapy is administered prior to chemoradiotherapy in patients with N2 or N3 disease. Secondary * To determine the effect of induction chemotherapy when administered prior to chemoradiotherapy on distant failure-free survival, failure pattern, progression free survival and quality of life. TREATMENT PLAN: * After eligibility is confirmed, patients will be randomized to one of two treatment arms: Arm A - Induction + chemoradiotherapy Arm B - Chemoradiotherapy alone * Induction therapy: Two 21-day cycles of chemotherapy consisting of docetaxel (day 1), cisplatin (day 1), and 5-fluorouracil (days 1-5). Total duration of 6 weeks. * Chemoradiotherapy: Five 14-day cycles of docetaxel (day 1), 5-fluorouracil (day 0-4), and hydroxyurea (days 0-4) with twice daily radiation (days 1-5). Total duration of 10 weeks. * All patients will undergo surgical evaluation after chemoradiation for possible neck dissection. * Upon completion of treatment, patients will be monitored every three months during the first year, every six months during the second and third years, and annually thereafter, up to seven years. * Patients will be followed for Quality of Life (QOL) during the course of treatment, as well as annually thereafter, up to five years. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: * An expected sample size of 400 patients will be enrolled for this study (200 per treatment arm).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
285
75 mg/m2 on day 1 (induction phase); 25 mg/m2 on day 1 (chemoradiotherapy phase)
75 mg/m2 on day 1
Each cycle: 500 mg PO q 12 hours x 6 days (11 doses)
750 mg/m2/day on days 1-5 (induction phase); 600 mg/m2/day, day 0-4 (chemoradiotherapy phase)
See protocol for details
See protocol for details
USC University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Los Angeles, California, United States
UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Miami, Florida, United States
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, United States
The University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Weiss Memorial Hospital
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare
Evanston, Illinois, United States
Joliet Oncology Hematology Associates
Joliet, Illinois, United States
Fort Wayne Medical Oncology/Hematology Inc.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
AP&S Clinic, LLC
Terre Haute, Indiana, United States
...and 16 more locations
Overall Survival: Time From Randomization to Death From Any Cause
Survival rates over 6 years.
Time frame: Up to 6 years
Distant Failure-free Survival (DFFS): Time From Randomization to Distant Recurrence or Death From Any Cause
DFFS rates over 6 years. DFFS is time from randomization to distant recurrence or death from any cause
Time frame: Up to 6 years
Recurrence Free Survival: Time From Randomization to Local/Regional/Distant Recurrence or Death From Any Cause
Recurrence-free survival rates over 6 years. Recurrence-free survival is time from randomization to local, regional, or distant recurrence or death from any cause
Time frame: Up to 6 years
Failure Pattern (Local/Regional Recurrence)
Percentage of patients with local/regional recurrence
Time frame: Up to 6 years
Failure Pattern (Distant Recurrence)
Percentage of patients with distant recurrence
Time frame: Up to 6 years
Quality of Life (FACT H&N)
FACT Hand-and-neck subscale(b) (0-40 point scale with negative numbers indicating worsening of function)
Time frame: Change from baseline to post-CRT (post-pre). This corresponds to week 16 in the induction arm and week 10 in the CRT alone arm.
Quality of Life (Normalcy of Diet)
Performance Status Score (0-100 point scale with negative numbers indicating worsening of function)
Time frame: Change from baseline to post-CRT (post-pre). This corresponds to week 16 in the induction arm and week 10 in the CRT alone arm.
Quality of Life (Speech)
Performance Status Score (0-100 point scale with negative numbers indicating worsening of function)
Time frame: Change from baseline to post-CRT (post-pre). This corresponds to week 16 in the induction arm and week 10 in the CRT alone arm.
Quality of Life (McMaster)
McMaster RT Questionnaire (4-28 point scale with negative numbers indicating worsening of function)
Time frame: Change from baseline to post-CRT (post-pre). This corresponds to week 16 in the induction arm and week 10 in the CRT alone arm.
Quality of Life (FACT H&N)
FACT Hand-and-neck subscale(b) (0-40 point scale with negative numbers indicating worsening of function)
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 year (1 year-pre)
Quality of Life (Normalcy of Diet)
Performance Status Score (0-100 point scale with negative numbers indicating worsening of function)
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 year (1 year-pre)
Quality of Life (Speech)
Performance Status Score (0-100 point scale with negative numbers indicating worsening of function)
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 year (1 year-pre)
Quality of Life (McMaster)
McMaster RT Questionnaire (4-28 point scale with negative numbers indicating worsening of function)
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 year (1 year-pre)
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