Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the Assessment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) Response

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to see if new techniques of measuring HNSCC tumors with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help predict how well the tumors will respond to combined chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The investigators hope to find a reliable method to determine whether or not a patient's cancer is responding to chemo-radiation early in their treatment using an MRI, such that that cancer treatments could be tailored to the individual more effective in the future. The MRI techniques include dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Participants will be subjected to two sessions of MRI scans: one before the initiation of their regular treatment and the second before their second cycle of chemotherapy. Each scanning session will last approximately 45 minutes.

Detailed Description
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DCE-MRI, DW-MRI, MRS have the potential to measure early cellular changes that occur in response to successful therapies, such as chemoradiation, and have been demonstrated to be early predictors not only of therapeutic response, but also of overall survival for other malignancies. Our long-term goal is to use these imaging techniques to develop non-invasive functional imaging methodologies that would be better predictors of pathological response than the current clinical standard.

Official Title
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Pilot Study of DCE-MRI, DW-MRI, and MRS in the Assessment of Head and Neck Cancer Response to Chemo-radiation

Conditions
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Head and Neck Cancer

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: DCE-MRI, DW-MRI and MRS


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Histologically confirmed diagnosis of loco-regionally advanced (stage III or IV) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx) Age > 18 years No prior surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy for head and neck cancer Scheduled to receive chemoradiation for definitive therapy Exclusion Criteria: Contraindications to MRI (pacemaker, aneurysm clip, mechanical and/or electrical device or metallic fragment, severe claustrophobia) Contraindications to gadolinium Severe, active co-morbidity Major medical illnesses or psychiatric impairments Pregnant or nursing women

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Other: DCE-MRI, DW-MRI and MRS|Patients will undergo Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI), Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) prior to the initiation of chemoradiation and before their second cycle of chemotherapy. Healthy volunteers will undergo DCE-MRI, DW-MRI and MRS.|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Determination of early or a prior prognostic markers of head and neck cancers, as measured by DCE-MRI, DW-MRI, and MRS, that characterize the differences between clinical responders and non-responders. |  | September 2011 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Correlation between early/a prior marker and progression-free survival. |  | September 2011 |