Conditions: Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma Recurrent Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary Recurrent Salivary Gland Cancer Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Recurrent Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx Recurrent Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity Salivary Gland Squamous Cell Carcinoma Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx Stage IVA Salivary Gland Cancer Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Stage IVA Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx Stage IVA Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity Stage IVB Salivary Gland Cancer Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Stage IVB Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx Stage IVB Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity Stage IVC Salivary Gland Cancer Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Stage IVC Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx Stage IVC Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity Tongue Cancer
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 15
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This phase II trial studies how well dasatinib works in treating patients with head and neck cancer that has come back or spread to other areas of the body. Dasatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

Detailed description:
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the 12-week progression-free survival rate and the objective response rate, as measured by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria, in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with dasatinib.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To define metabolic response rate by positron emission tomography (PET) scan at 0, 8, and 12 weeks.

II. To define overall survival distribution from initiation of dasatinib. III. To define duration of response. IV. To determine if there is a correlation between clinical benefit from dasatinib (defined as disease response or stabilization) and pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics (phosphorylated Src \[pSrc\] expression in platelets), or changes in serum levels of cytokines, growth factors, and growth factor receptors relevant to the Src signaling pathway.

V. To examine the relationship between clinical benefit and mammary tumor and squamous cell carcinoma-associated protein (EMS1) gene amplification and cortactin expression levels in tumor tissue prior to therapy and the modulation of cortactin levels by treatment.

VI. To compare the effects of dasatinib on apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay in tumor tissues comparing pre- and post-treatment biopsies.

VII. To assess the tolerability of dasatinib in this patient population. VIII. To describe the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile and relative bioavailability of dasatinib suspension in patients receiving the drug through percutaneous gastrostomy tube.

IX. To descriptively assess safety, toxicity, and efficacy of dasatinib crushed and administered by feeding tube.

OUTLINE:

Patients receive dasatinib orally (PO) or via percutaneous gastrostomy (PEG) tube twice daily (BID). Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up for at least 4 weeks.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients receive dasatinib PO or via PEG tube BID. Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Interventions: intervention 1: dasatinib intervention 2: pharmacological study intervention 3: laboratory biomarker analysis
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Given PO or via PEG tube intervention 2: Correlative studies intervention 3: Correlative studies

Protocol document: