Full Title
Major Radiation Dose De-Escalation Concurrent with Chemotherapy for Advanced Stage Human Papilloma Virus Associated Oropharyngeal CarcinomaPurpose
The combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy (chemoradiation) is a standard treatment for people with HPV-positive throat cancer. HPV is human papillomavirus and can cause throat cancer. Standard chemoradiation may cause severe side effects such as mouth and gut sores, sore throat, and changes in taste.
Researchers want to see if less radiation plus chemotherapy works as well as the standard treatment. The lower dose schedule features 30 Gy of radiation given over 3 weeks. The standard treatment is 70 Gy over 7 weeks.
If you join this study, you will start with 6 weeks of chemotherapy with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and cetuximab. You will then have 2 Gy of radiation daily for 5 days each week as well as standard chemotherapy.
After 8-10 days, you’ll have a special PET/CT scan to see if your cancer is responding well to the treatment.
- If there is no sign of tumor cells that are resistant to chemoradiation, you’ll continue with the lower dose treatment. You will have radiation for a total of 3 weeks and stop chemotherapy after week 4.
- If there are chemoradiation-resistant tumor cells, you’ll get the standard total radiation dose of 70 Gy over 7 weeks. You will also have an additional week of chemotherapy at week 7.
- If during treatment your tumor shrinks stage 1 or 2 and is no longer resistant to chemoradiation, then you will be able to get the 30 Gy treatment.
Who Can Join
To join this study, there are a few conditions. You must:
- Have HPV-positive throat cancer that has not metastasized (spread) and has not yet been treated.
- Be able to walk and do routine activities for more than half the time you are awake.
- Be age 18 or older.
Contact
For more information or to see if you can join this study, please call Dr. Nancy Lee’s office at 212-639-3341.