Clinical trial NCT00003592: Methotrexate Compared With Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
Official title: Phase III Randomized Trial of Methotrexate vs. Paclitaxel in Cisplatin-Ineligible Patients With Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE3
Conditions: Head and Neck Cancer
Keywords: stage IV salivary gland cancer
recurrent salivary gland cancer
salivary gland squamous cell carcinoma
stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity
recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity
stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx
recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx
stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx
recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx
stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx
recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx
stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx
recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx
stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity
recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity
Lead sponsor: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
Sponsor class: NETWORK
Collaborators: name: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
First posted: 2004-06-16
Enrollment: 230
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 120
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: RATIONALE: 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 methotrexate or paclitaxel is more effective in treating patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of methotrexate with that of paclitaxel in treating patients who have advanced head and neck cancer that cannot be treated with cisplatin.

Detailed description: OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the progression free survival, median survival, and overall survival in cisplatin-ineligible patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck following weekly outpatient methotrexate (arm I) versus paclitaxel (arm II). II. Compare the response rate of patients in the two treatment arms. III. Compare the Trial Outcome Index scores of patients in the two treatment arms. IV. Compare the weight change, neurologic toxicity, and mucositis scores of patients in the two treatment arms.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are stratified by performance status (0-1 vs 2) and age (less than 60 vs at least 60). Patients are randomized to receive methotrexate IV bolus every week for 4 weeks (arm I) or paclitaxel IV over 1 hour every week for 4 weeks (arm II). All patients receive at least 4 weeks of treatment (1 course). Patients continue treatment for a total of 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: There will be 230 patients accrued into this study over 2.4 years.

Eligibility criteria: DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed advanced, incurable, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck Recurrent disease in a previously irradiated field must be biopsy proven or documented unequivocally by physical exam or radiograph(s) Measurable or evaluable disease Patients with ECOG performance status of 0-1 must be ineligible for protocol E-1395 and unable to tolerate cisplatin-based therapy for 1 or more of the following reasons: Hearing loss that precludes cisplatin Unable to handle a fluid load necessitated by cisplatin-based treatment, due to underlying cardiac or pulmonary disease Mild renal insufficiency (creatinine 1.6-2.0 mg/dL) or creatinine clearance of 40-60 mL/min that would make cisplatin treatment difficult, if not dangerous History of brain metastases allowed if disease has stabilized or improved after radiation and/or craniotomy No history of carcinomatous meningitis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-2 (See Disease Characteristics) Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,800/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL SGOT and SGPT no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal Renal: See Disease Characteristics Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL No evidence of symptomatic hypercalcemia Cardiovascular: See Disease Characteristics No active angina or uncontrolled arrhythmias Metabolic: No uncontrolled diabetes; no random blood sugar at least 300 mg/dL Neurological: No evidence of ongoing grade 2 or greater peripheral sensory neuropathy Pulmonary: See Disease Characteristics Other: No other concurrent, active, invasive malignancies No significant detectable infection Not pregnant or nursing Effective contraception required of all fertile patients

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy except in the adjuvant, neoadjuvant, or radiosensitizing setting No prior chemotherapy for recurrent or persistent disease after definitive local therapy At least 6 months since prior methotrexate or paclitaxel Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Recovered from prior surgery

Primary outcomes:
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Atlanta
country: United States
facility: Emory University Hospital - Atlanta
state: Georgia
city: Decatur
country: United States
facility: Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Atlanta (Decatur)
state: Georgia
city: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University
state: Illinois
city: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Chicago (Lakeside)
state: Illinois
city: Peoria
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association
state: Illinois
city: Urbana
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Carle Cancer Center
state: Illinois
city: Kalamazoo
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Kalamazoo
state: Michigan
city: Saint Louis Park
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Metro-Minnesota
state: Minnesota
city: Omaha
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium
state: Nebraska
city: East Orange
country: United States
facility: Veterans Affairs Medical Center - East Orange
state: New Jersey
city: Bronx
country: United States
facility: Albert Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center
state: New York
city: Rochester
country: United States
facility: University of Rochester Cancer Center
state: New York
city: Cleveland
country: United States
facility: Ireland Cancer Center
state: Ohio
city: Toledo
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Toledo Community Hospital Oncology Program
state: Ohio
city: Philadelphia
country: United States
facility: Fox Chase Cancer Center
state: Pennsylvania
city: Nashville
country: United States
facility: Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Nashville
state: Tennessee
city: Nashville
country: United States
facility: Vanderbilt Cancer Center
state: Tennessee
city: Milwaukee
country: United States
facility: Medical College of Wisconsin
state: Wisconsin
city: Milwaukee
country: United States
facility: Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Milwaukee (Zablocki)
state: Wisconsin
city: Pretoria
country: South Africa
facility: Pretoria Academic Hospital
Study officials:
affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center
name: Corey J. Langer, MD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References: