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Transoral Surgery + Radiation Therapy + Chemotherapy for Oropharyngeal Cancer

Phase 2
Waitlist Available
Led By Robert Ferris
Research Sponsored by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Be older than 18 years old
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up assessed 4-6 weeks after surgery
Awards & highlights
No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial is testing different doses of radiation therapy given with chemotherapy after transoral surgery for HPV positive stage III-IVA oropharyngeal cancer.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for adults with HPV-positive stage III-IVA oropharyngeal cancer. Participants must have resectable disease, good performance status (ECOG 0 or 1), and proper organ function. They should not have had prior radiation above the clavicles, be pregnant, or have uncontrolled conditions like diabetes. Contraception is advised for those who can bear children.
What is being tested?
The study tests how well transoral surgery followed by low-dose or standard-dose radiation therapy works when treating HPV-related throat cancer. It also examines if adding chemotherapy with drugs like cisplatin or carboplatin improves outcomes after surgery.
What are the potential side effects?
Possible side effects include soreness from surgery, skin irritation from radiation, and typical chemotherapy effects such as nausea, fatigue, hair loss, increased infection risk due to lowered blood cell counts, and potential harm to kidneys.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~assessed 4-6 weeks after surgery
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and assessed 4-6 weeks after surgery for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Progression-free Survival Rate at 2 Years
Hemorrhage
Secondary study objectives
Distribution of Histologic Risk Status
Quality of Life (QOL) at 6 Months After Treatment Assessed by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Head and Neck Cancer (FACT-HN) Total Score
Swallowing Function After Surgery Assessed Using MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)
+1 more
Other study objectives
Association Between Radiation Resistance Markers and Progression-free Survival
Association Between TP53 Mutation and Progression-free Survival
Usefulness of Biomarkers in Predicting Progression-free Survival

Side effects data

From 2022 Phase 3 trial • 289 Patients • NCT01672892
77%
Diarrhea
73%
Fatigue
39%
Nausea
37%
Abdominal pain
30%
Urinary frequency
21%
Anemia
21%
Constipation
21%
Anorexia
18%
Urinary incontinence
18%
Pelvic pain
17%
White blood cell decreased
16%
Edema limbs
16%
Pain
13%
Dyspnea
13%
Vomiting
13%
Headache
12%
Paresthesia
11%
Lymphocyte count decreased
10%
Bloating
10%
Cough
10%
Hypomagnesemia
10%
Urinary tract pain
10%
Urinary urgency
10%
Urinary tract infection
10%
Hot flashes
10%
Insomnia
9%
Platelet count decreased
9%
Rectal pain
8%
Gastrointestinal disorders - Other
8%
Proctitis
8%
Hyperglycemia
8%
Hyponatremia
8%
Anxiety
8%
Renal and urinary disorders - Other
8%
Weight loss
7%
Depression
7%
Cystitis noninfective
7%
Alopecia
6%
Tinnitus
6%
Blurred vision
6%
Neutrophil count decreased
6%
Hypokalemia
6%
Back pain
6%
Generalized muscle weakness
6%
Peripheral sensory neuropathy
6%
Vaginal discharge
6%
Vaginal hemorrhage
6%
Pruritus
6%
Hypertension
6%
Dermatitis radiation
6%
Dyspepsia
6%
Hypoalbuminemia
4%
Rectal hemorrhage
3%
Vaginal stricture
3%
Arthralgia
2%
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders - Other
1%
Device related infection
1%
Vaginal pain
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Study treatment Arm
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy
Standard Radiation Therapy

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group
All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

4Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Arm S (Surgery) then Arm D (High risk, IMRT, chemotherapy)Experimental Treatment4 Interventions
Patients undergo transoral surgical resection of the oropharyngeal tumor. After transoral surgical resection of the oropharyngeal tumor, high risk patients then receive IMRT (66Gy) QD five days a week for 6-7 weeks. Patients also receive cisplatin IV over 60 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, and 43 during radiation therapy.
Group II: Arm S (Surgery) then Arm C (Intermediate risk, standard-dose IMRT)Experimental Treatment2 Interventions
Patients undergo transoral surgical resection of the oropharyngeal tumor. After transoral surgical resection of the oropharyngeal tumor, intermediate risk patients receive standard-dose IMRT (60 Gy) QD five days a week for 6 weeks.
Group III: Arm S (Surgery) then Arm B (Intermediate risk, low-dose IMRT)Experimental Treatment2 Interventions
Patients undergo transoral surgical resection of the oropharyngeal tumor. After transoral surgical resection of the oropharyngeal tumor, intermediate risk patients receive low-dose IMRT (50 Gy) QD five days a week for 5 weeks.
Group IV: Arm S (Surgery) then Arm A (Low risk, observation)Experimental Treatment1 Intervention
Patients undergo transoral surgical resection of the oropharyngeal tumor. After transoral surgical resection of the oropharyngeal tumor, low risk patients are under observation.
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
intensity-modulated radiation therapy
2008
Completed Phase 3
~1490
cisplatin
1997
Completed Phase 3
~3290
carboplatin
2010
Completed Phase 3
~4790

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Eastern Cooperative Oncology GroupLead Sponsor
268 Previous Clinical Trials
151,076 Total Patients Enrolled
ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research GroupLead Sponsor
120 Previous Clinical Trials
179,358 Total Patients Enrolled
National Cancer Institute (NCI)NIH
13,906 Previous Clinical Trials
41,011,530 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

Transoral surgery Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT01898494 — Phase 2
Human Papillomavirus Research Study Groups: Arm S (Surgery) then Arm A (Low risk, observation), Arm S (Surgery) then Arm B (Intermediate risk, low-dose IMRT), Arm S (Surgery) then Arm C (Intermediate risk, standard-dose IMRT), Arm S (Surgery) then Arm D (High risk, IMRT, chemotherapy)
Human Papillomavirus Clinical Trial 2023: Transoral surgery Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT01898494 — Phase 2
Transoral surgery 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT01898494 — Phase 2
~44 spots leftby Nov 2025