The purpose of this study is to determine whether treatment of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in patients with undetectable postoperative HPV circulating tumor DNA (cfHPVDNA) with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) alone can result in cancer control and survival comparable to those previously reported with standard therapy. The protocol includes patients with only with low or intermediate pathologic risk factors following surgery with detectable pre-surgery cfHPVDNA and undetectable post-surgery cfHPVDNA. The hope is that with this approach, the long-term complications from chemotherapy and radiation can be reduced.
There has been significant increase in the incidence of oropharynx cancer in North America and Europe. It is now understood that there are two dominant carcinogenic pathways for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Environmentally related which is caused mainly by smoking and alcohol, and HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPVOPSCC). HPVOPSCC now accounts for over 80% of OPC seen in the USA and an increasing fraction of these malignancies in Europe. It has been shown that HPVOPSCC confers an excellent prognosis for intermediate staged disease and this has called into question the rational for aggressive concurrent chemoradiotherapy. High-dose radiotherapy (RT) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) have substantial impact on local tissues and organ function and result in a significant rate of late mortality and morbidity. Studies are now being designed to reduce the impact of RT and CRT for patients. Recently, a new test has been developed that measures HPV circulating tumor DNA (cfHPVDNA) in the blood. The test has emerged as a promising biomarker for HPVOPSCC, correlating with both treatment response as well as surveillance for cancer recurrence. Data suggests that a negative test in the surveillance period following treatment is highly sensitive and specific for recurrent disease. In this trial, the study will be stratifying p16 positive patients with PCR detectable high-risk (HR) HPV DNA or RNA following TORS into risk groups based on final pathology to determine appropriate treatment intensity. Patients with low- or intermediate-risk pathologic disease and undetectable postoperative cfHPVDNA will receive no adjuvant therapy. This group includes patients with AJCC 7th edition T1-T2N0-2b disease. Patients must have less than four pathologic nodes on final pathology, negative margins, and no contralateral nodes. Perineural or lymphovascular alone is allowed but not in combination. Microscopic extranodal extension (less than or equal to 2 mm) is allowed. Patients cannot be active smokers or have a 20 or greater pack year history of smoking.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
83
Transoral robotic surgical resection of the tumor with negative intraoperative frozen section margins.
Valley - Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care
Paramus, New Jersey, United States
RECRUITINGMount Sinai Health System
New York, New York, United States
RECRUITINGLocal and/or regional disease recurrence (LRR)
Local and/or regional disease recurrence (LRR) at 2 years
Time frame: 2 years
Progression-free survival (PFS)
PFS at 2 years as defined as the proportion of patients without events (recurrence or death) at 2 years
Time frame: 2 years
Disease free survival (DFS)
PFS at 2 years as defined as the proportion of patients without events (recurrence or death) at 2 years
Time frame: 2 years
Overall Survival (OS)
OS at 2 years is defined as the proportion of patients alive at 2 years
Time frame: 2 years
M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory
20 items instrument: a global assessment (a single question), it comprises three subscales: the emotional subscale (8 items), the functional subscale (5 items), and the physical subscale (6 items). The global assessment refers to the individual's swallowing difficulty as it affects one's overall daily routine. The emotional, functional, and physical subscales refer to the individual's affective response to the swallowing disorder, the impact of the disorder on daily activities, and the self-perception of the swallowing difficulties, respectively. Using a five-point scale (1-5), the minimum total score is 20 and the maximum 100. Higher score indicates the least interference with daily life.
Time frame: 2 years
Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)
Scale range from 1-10 (1 being dry as a desert and 10 is normal). Higher score indicates better health outcomes
Time frame: 2 years
European Organization of Research and Treatment Of Cancer (EORTC QLQ-C30)
EORTC QLQ-C30 is a 30-question tool used to assess the overall QoL in cancer participants. It consisted of 15 domains: 1 GHS/QoL scale, 5 functional scales (Physical, role, cognitive, emotional, social), and 9 symptom scales/items (Fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, dyspnea, sleep disturbance, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea, financial impact). Most items are scored 1 ("not at all") to 4 ("very much") except for the items contributing to the GHS/QoL, which are scored 1 ("very poor") to 7 ("excellent"). A linear transformation was applied to the raw scores so that all transformed scores lie between 0 to 100. For the GHS/QoL and 5 functional scales a high score indicates better global health status/functioning and a negative change from baseline indicated less improvement. Scale ranges from 0-100. For the symptom scales, a high score indicates a higher level of symptoms, and a negative change from baseline indicated an improvement in symptoms.
Time frame: 2 years
European Organization of Research and Treatment of Head and Neck cancer questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-H&N35)
EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 is a 35-question site-specific tool and is used in conjunction with EORTC QLQ-C30 measurement tool. Scale range from 0-100. Higher score indicates poorer health outcomes.
Time frame: 2 years
M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory - Head & Neck (MDASI-HN)
MDASI-HN is a 28 symptom items questionnaire: 13 general cancer-related symptoms, such as pain, fatigue and nausea; 9 HNC-related symptoms, such as problems with mucus in the mouth and difficulty in swallowing or chewing; 6 items to evaluate the effects of symptoms on daily life, including mood and enjoyment of life. Each item is rated on a 11-point scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (as bad as you can imagine), while the items that assess the interference of symptoms on daily activities are rated from 0 (does not interfere) to 10 (interfered completely). Subscales and full scale range from 0-10. Higher score indicates poorer health outcome.
Time frame: 2 years
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