Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

Overview

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. It is not yet known whether combining mitomycin or porfiromycin with radiation therapy is more effective in treating patients with head and neck cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of radiation therapy plus either mitomycin or porfiromycin in treating patients with head and neck cancer.

Full Title of Study: “RADIATION WITH MITOMYCIN C OR PORFIROMYCIN IN THE TREATMENT OF CANCER OF THE HEAD AND NECK AREA”

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Study Primary Completion Date: October 2002

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the efficacy of mitomycin vs. porfiromycin as an adjunct to radiotherapy for the treatment of epidermoid carcinomas of the head and neck. OUTLINE: Randomized study. Arm I: Radiotherapy plus Single-Agent Chemotherapy. Irradiation of involved head and neck sites by external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) alone (source not specified), brachytherapy alone (using permanent or removable radiation sources), or both; plus Mitomycin, MITO, NSC-26980. Arm II: Radiotherapy plus Single-Agent Chemotherapy. Radiotherapy as in Arm I; plus Porfiromycin, NSC-56410. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 200 patients will be entered over 3-4 years.

Interventions

  • Drug: mitomycin C
  • Drug: porfiromycin
  • Radiation: brachytherapy
  • Radiation: radiation therapy

Participating in This Clinical Trial

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Biopsy-proven epidermoid carcinoma of the following head and neck sites: Hypopharynx Oral cavity Larynx Oropharynx Nasopharynx Unknown primary origin with positive head and neck nodes TNM Stages I-IV or recurrent disease with no distant metastases, i.e.: T1 N0 M0 T1 N1-3 M0 T2-4 any N M0 T0 N1-3 M0 No carcinoma of the true vocal cord or other condition with greater than 90% probability of cure PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 20 to 80 Performance status: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC at least 3,000 Platelets at least 100,000 Hct at least 25% Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dl Renal: Creatinine less than 2 mg/dl OR BUN less than 40 mg/dl Other: No other serious, life-threatening illness No second malignancy within 5 years except nonmelanomatous skin cancer outside the planned radiotherapy field PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: At least 3 years since chemotherapy No prior radiotherapy to areas of current disease

Gender Eligibility: All

Minimum Age: 20 Years

Maximum Age: 80 Years

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: No

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • Yale University
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Sponsor
  • Overall Official(s)
    • James J. Fischer, MD, PhD, Study Chair, Yale University

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