Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Erlotinib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Completed · Phase 2 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx, Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx, Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity, Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx, Recurrent Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Recurrent Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Recurrent Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Recurrent Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Stage IV Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IV Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IV Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7, Stage IV Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IVA Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IVA Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IVA Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7, Stage IVA Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IVB Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IVB Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IVB Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7, Stage IVB Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IVC Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IVC Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IVC Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7, Stage IVC Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7

In brief

This randomized phase II trial studies how well combination chemotherapy with or without erlotinib hydrochloride works in treating patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck that has spread to other parts of the body or has come back. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as docetaxel, cisplatin, and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Erlotinib hydrochloride may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving combination chemotherapy with or without erlotinib hydrochloride may be an effective treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT01064479
Run by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
People needed: 123
Starts: 2010-02-05
Expected to finish: 2020-11-03
Last updated by the study team: 2024-07-16

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Histologically confirmed metastatic or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx or larynx; metastatic or recurrent lesions of the nasopharynx and sinus are excluded
Radiologically measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded) as >= 20 mm with conventional techniques or as >= 10 mm with spiral computed tomography (CT) scan; measurable lymph nodes are required to be >= 15 mm in size (short axis diameter)
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) =< 2
Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1.5 x 10\^9/L
Platelet count >= 100 x 10\^9/L
Total bilirubin =< upper limit of normal (ULN) (excluding Gilbert's disease)
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) =< 1.5 x ULN
Alkaline phosphatase =< 2.5 x ULN
Serum creatinine =< 1.5 x ULN
Patients with reproductive potential (e.g., females menopausal for less than 1 year and not surgically sterilized) must practice effective contraceptive measures for the duration of study drug therapy and for at least 30 days after completion of study drug therapy; female patients of childbearing potential must provide a negative pregnancy test (serum or urine) =< 14 days prior to treatment initiation
Written informed consent to participate in the study according to the investigational review board (IRB) or independent ethics committee (IEC)

You may not qualify if…

Histology other than squamous cell carcinoma
Primary sites other than oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx
Prior palliative chemotherapy for metastatic or recurrent disease
Prior biological therapy for metastatic or recurrent disease within 3 weeks prior to randomization
Patients with known, untreated brain metastases; patients with treated (irradiated or resected) brain metastases are eligible if treatment was completed more than 28 days prior to study entry and if clinical neurologic function is stable
Pre-existing peripheral neuropathy >= grade 2
History of poorly controlled gastrointestinal disorders that could affect the absorption of the study drug (e.g., Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis); patients requiring feeding tubes are permitted
Other active malignancies requiring chemotherapy treatment within 2 years prior to randomization, except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or in situ cervical or breast cancer or superficial, resected melanoma
Serious underlying medical condition which would impair the ability of the patient to receive protocol treatment, in the opinion of the treating physician
History of allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical composition to the study drugs (docetaxel, cisplatin, carboplatin, erlotinib or their excipients), or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80
Any concurrent anti-cancer therapy, excluding hormonal therapy for prostate or breast cancer
Dementia or significantly altered mental status that would prohibit the understanding and giving of informed consent
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding and women or men not practicing effective birth control

Where it is running

M D Anderson Cancer Center — Houston, Texas, United States
MD Anderson Regional Care Center-Katy — Houston, Texas, United States
MD Anderson Regional Care Center-Bay Area — Nassau Bay, Texas, United States
MD Anderson Regional Care Center-Sugar Land — Sugar Land, Texas, United States
MD Anderson Regional Care Center-The Woodlands — The Woodlands, Texas, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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