View clinical trials related to Head and Neck Neoplasms.
Filter by:Rationale: Radiation-induced parotid gland dysfunction, often leading to xerostomia is the most-frequently occurring side-effect with a major impact on patient-reported quality of life after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Therefore, treatments for HNC are currently optimized to minimize the mean dose to the parotid glands. Though this resulted in a significant reduction of toxicity, 30%-40% of the patients still develop sustained parotid gland dysfunction and xerostomia. However, in animal studies the investigators found that the dose to the sub-volume of the gland containing the parotid gland stem cells is a better predictor for dysfunction than the mean dose to the whole gland. Subsequently, this finding was confirmed in a retrospective analysis in patients. Therefore, a reduction of dose specifically in this sub-volume of the parotid glands of patients is expected to further reduce the risk of parotid gland dysfunction and xerostomia. Objective: To test the hypothesis that parotid gland stem cell sparing intensity modulated radiotherapy in HNC patients reduces the risk of parotid gland dysfunction and xerostomia as compared to conventional parotid gland sparing intensity modulated radiotherapy. Study design: Double-blind prospective randomized trial (51 patients per arm). Study population: Patients treated for tumours in the head-and-neck region with curative radiotherapy, with or without the addition of chemotherapy or cetuximab. Intervention: Patients randomized into the experimental arm will receive a treatment in which the radiation dose to the parotid gland is re-distributed to minimize dose to the sub-volume containing the stem cells, while keeping the same mean dose to the parotid gland as a whole. Main study parameters/endpoints: Primary endpoint is parotid gland salivary secretion. Secondary endpoints are patient- and physician-rated xerostomia.
The purpose of this study is to establish the Six-Minute Walk Test, 10-Meter Walk Test, 30 Second Chair Stand, Linear Analog Scale of Function, and the Modifed Brief Fatigue Inventory as reliable and valid outcome measurements for patients with head and neck cancer.
Treatment for head and neck cancer can result in marked musculo-skeletal impairment (MSI). This study will examine the effects of Hatha Yoga as a therapeutic modality to address MSI.
RATIONALE: Cancers of the oral cavity represent 30% of head and neck carcinomas in the western world. The oropharynx is the posterior continuation of the oral cavity and connects with the nasopharynx (above) and laryngopharynx (below). It is also a frequent site of primary head and neck cancers. These structures play a crucial role in swallowing, breath and speech. Locally advanced oropharyngeal cancers can obstruct the air flow or infiltrate muscles or nerves, which significantly disturb local functions. The incidence of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer in patients older 65 years is high, 47% occurred in this population as recorded by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries in the United States. Regarding the therapeutic strategies, the association of radiotherapy with chemotherapy or biologics has demonstrated significant improvement of outcomes with the drawback of higher toxicity, or as demonstrated by 2 meta-analyses, without survival improvement in older patients. NBTXR3 and radiation therapy may increase the cancer cell killing and complete tumor shrinkage allowing a definitive treatment and preservation of local structures and functions in patients older 65 years, who cannot receive cisplatin.
The purpose of this study is to: - evaluate the activity of SAMITAL in reducing the incidence of severe mucositis in head-and-neck cancer patients undergoing chemo-radiotherapy. - assess tolerability of SAMITAL and the impact on patients reported outcomes.
The project is designed to test new biomarkers that are more sensitive than the current standard in detecting injury to the proximal kidney tubule and will establish better criteria for when kidney safety concerns may halt further testing of a drug in humans.
This phase Ib trial studies the side effects and best dose of ipilimumab when given together with cetuximab and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in treating patients with previously untreated stage III-IVB head and neck cancer. Monoclonal antibodies, such as ipilimumab and cetuximab, may block tumor growth in different ways by targeting certain cells. Specialized radiation therapy, such as IMRT, that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Giving ipilimumab together with cetuximab and IMRT may kill more tumor cells.
The purpose of this study is to assess a relatively new PET (Positron emission tomography) radiotracer called FACBC in the assessment of head and neck cancer. FDG (Flourine Deoxyglucose) is currently used for PET imaging, but has limitations in head and neck cancer. These limitations include problems with specificity, high background uptake from normal structures, difficulty delineating intracranial invasion, and the need to wait several weeks after chemotherapy and radiation before imaging. As an amino acid radiotracer, rather than a glucose radiotracer, FACBC overcomes some of these limitations. FACBC does not yet have FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval, but does show promise in initial work in patients with prostate cancer and brain tumors. Dosimetry work on FACBC has been performed at Emory. Our study is a pilot study looking at 10 patients with a new diagnosis of biopsy proven squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity who will be able to go on to definitive surgical resection (ie, surgery without preceding chemotherapy or radiation). Patients must have pre-surgical imaging, either with a contrast enhanced CT, FDG PET, or MRI. Patients who consent to participate will receive one FACBC PET/CT of the neck, which will require a low dose "transmission" CT of the neck, an intravenous injection of the radiotracer, and imaging of the neck that will last up to 1 hour. Patients will have to lie still during the imaging time. Total participation time including set up should be less than 90 minutes. Imaging results will be analyzed and compared with conventional imaging as well as the surgical pathology results
The purpose of this study is to see if the investigators can prevent or reduce the severity of the Cetuximab-related acne rash. Two different topical agents will be applied to the skin. One topical agent is the dapsone gel and the other is a skin moisturizer. Dapsone gel is an FDA approved medication that you apply to the face. It is commonly used to treat acne. Skin moisturizers are recommended to patients who receive Cetuximab treatment. In addition to these topical agents they will be given a pill to take once a day. This pill has already been shown to help fight rashes from Cetuximab.
This is a single arm study of the use of a personalized sterile humidification device for 12 weeks for head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy to determine if the usage of this humidification system will result in a decrease in severity in head and neck related quality of life as measured by the MDASI HN subscale following radiation therapy as compared with historical experience. In addition, we are exploring correlative measures using CRP, IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha level measurements as these are directly related to mucositis and presumably related to quality of life as indicated by the patient.