Pediatric Clinical Trials

• Testing Docetaxel-Cetuximab or the Addition of an Immunotherapy Drug, Atezolizumab, to the Usual Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy in High-Risk Head and Neck Cancer

  This phase II/III trial studies how well radiation therapy works when given together with cisplatin, docetaxel, cetuximab, and/or atezolizumab after surgery in treating patients with high-risk stage III-IV head and neck cancer the begins in the thin, flat cells (squamous cell). Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and docetaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. The purpose of this study is to compare the usual treatment (radiation therapy with cisplatin chemotherapy) to using radiation therapy with docetaxel and cetuximab chemotherapy, and using the usual treatment plus an immunotherapy drug, atezolizumab.

  Investigators

  • Michael Gensheimer
  • Quynh-Thu Le, MD
  • Michael J. Kaplan, MD
  • A. Dimitrios Colevas, MD
  Now accepting new patients View Details

• Testing the Addition of an Anti-cancer Drug, Ipatasertib, to the Usual Immunotherapy Treatment (Pembrolizumab) in Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck

  This phase II trial compares the effect of adding ipatasertib to pembrolizumab (standard immunotherapy) vs. pembrolizumab alone in treating patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck that has come back (recurrent) or that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). Ipatasertib is in a class of medications called protein kinase B (AKT) inhibitors. It may stop the growth of tumor cells and may kill them. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving ipatasertib in combination with pembrolizumab may be more effective than pembrolizumab alone in improving some outcomes in patients with recurrent/metastatic squamous cell cancer of the head and neck.

  Investigator

  • A. Dimitrios Colevas, MD
  Now accepting new patients View Details

• Testing the Addition of BMS-986016 (Relatlimab) to the Usual Immunotherapy After Initial Treatment for Recurrent or Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Cancer

  This phase II trial tests the addition of BMS-986016 (relatlimab) to the usual immunotherapy after initial treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer that has come back after a period of improvement (recurrent) or that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). Relatlimab is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. The usual approach of treatment is initial treatment with chemotherapy such as the combination of cisplatin (or carboplatin) and gemcitabine, along with immunotherapy such as nivolumab. After the initial treatment is finished, patients may continue to receive additional immunotherapy. Carboplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works in a way similar to the anticancer drug cisplatin, but may be better tolerated than cisplatin. Carboplatin works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of tumor cells. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Gemcitabine is a chemotherapy drug that blocks the cells from making deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill cancer cells. Giving BMS-986016 in addition to the usual immunotherapy after initial treatment may extend the time without the tumor cells grow or spread longer than the usual approach in patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer.

  Now accepting new patients View Details

• Tislelizumab in Combination With Investigational Agents in Participants With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

  This study is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tislelizumab and tislelizumab in combination with investigational agent(s) in first-line recurrent or metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

  Now accepting new patients View Details

• Post-operative Adjuvant Treatment for HPV-positive Tumours (PATHOS)

  The main objectives of the PATHOS study are:
  
  To assess whether swallowing function can be improved following transoral resection of HPV-positive OPSCC, by reducing the intensity of adjuvant treatment protocols. The aim is to personalise treatment, based on disease biology (HPV status and pathology findings), to optimise patient outcomes.
  
  To demonstrate the non-inferiority of reducing the intensity of adjuvant treatment protocols in terms of overall survival in the reduced intensity treatment arms.

  Investigators

  • Chris Holsinger, MD, FACS
  • Michelle M. Chen, MD, MHS
  Now accepting new patients View Details

• Multidimensional and Multimodal Profiling of Oropharyngeal Carcinoma

  The purpose of this study is to better understand the natural history of oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC), with or without an association with the human papilloma virus (HPV). For this study, the investigators plan to collect blood from OPC patients prior to treatment and at six subsequent time points.

  Investigator

  • Chris Holsinger, MD, FACS
  Now accepting new patients View Details

• Identification and Characterization of Novel Proteins and Genes in Head and Neck Cancer

  Through this study, we hope to learn more about the mechanisms, which may contribute to development and progression of head and neck cancer. The long-term goal of this study will be to develop new strategies and drugs for the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer.

  Investigators

  • Zijie Sun
  • Quynh-Thu Le, MD
  • Peter H. Hwang, MD
  • John B. Sunwoo, MD
  • Michael J. Kaplan, MD
  • Willard ("Bill") E. Fee, Jr., MD
  Now accepting new patients View Details

• Clinical Trial of a Novel Small Molecule EBNA1 Inhibitor, VK 2019, in Patients With Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)-Positive Nasopharyngeal Cancer (NPC) and Other Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Associated Cancers, With Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Correlative Studies

  To evaluate the anti cancer effect of VK 2019 in subjects with EBV related nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) for whom there is no other standard treatment available

  Investigator

  • A. Dimitrios Colevas, MD
  Now accepting new patients View Details