Conditions: Chemotherapeutic Agent Toxicity Mucositis Radiation Toxicity Stage III Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx Stage III Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx Stage III Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity Stage III Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx Stage III Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx Stage III Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Xerostomia
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 18
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This randomized phase II trial is studying how well selenomethionine (SLM) works in reducing mucositis in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer who are receiving cisplatin and radiation therapy. SLM may help prevent or reduce mucositis, or mouth sores, in patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It is not yet known whether SLM is more effective than a placebo in reducing mucositis

Detailed description:
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess whether SLM reduces the incidence of grade 3 or 4 mucositis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) over 7 weeks.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess the impact of SLM on tumor complete response rate, relapse-free survival, overall survival and quality of life.

II. To assess whether SLM reduces the incidence and severity of treatment-related toxicities including xerostomia, renal impairment and myelosuppression.

III. To assess whether SLM improves chemoradiation dose delivery. IV. To determine safety of SLM at this dose. V. In New Zealand (NZ) patients only, to assess the impact of SLM on plasma free cisplatin and plasma selenium pharmacokinetics (PK) and on pharmacodynamic (PD) markers of biological activity of selenium.

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

ARM I: Patients receive placebo orally (PO) twice daily in week 1 and then once daily in weeks 2-11. Patients also receive cisplatin intravenously (IV) over 3 hours once in weeks 2, 5, and 8 and undergo radiotherapy 5 days a week in weeks 2-8.

ARM II: Patients receive selenomethionine PO twice daily in week 1 and then once daily in weeks 2-11. Patients also receive cisplatin and undergo radiotherapy as in arm I.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up periodically.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients receive placebo PO twice daily in week 1 and then once daily in weeks 2-11. Patients also receive cisplatin IV over 3 hours once in weeks 2, 5, and 8 and undergo radiotherapy 5 days a week in weeks 2-8. arm 2: Patients receive selenomethionine PO twice daily in week 1 and then once daily in weeks 2-11. Patients also receive cisplatin and undergo radiotherapy as in arm I.

Interventions: intervention 1: selenomethionine intervention 2: placebo intervention 3: cisplatin intervention 4: radiation therapy intervention 5: quality-of-life assessment
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Given PO intervention 2: Given PO intervention 3: Given IV intervention 4: Undergo radiotherapy intervention 5: Ancillary studies

Protocol document: