Conditions: Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck
Keywords: Fractionated Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 48
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This trial examines survival and toxicity in previously irradiated patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) treated with radiosurgery and cetuximab and to evaluate the acute and late toxicities associated with the above therapy.

Detailed description:
Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide with approximately 500,000 cases worldwide yearly. There were an estimated 39,250 new cases and 11,000 deaths in the United States in 2005 (Jemal 2005, Spitz MR). Despite major improvements in the treatment of SCCHN in recent years which include the introduction of concurrent chemoradiotherapy as an effective primary or postoperative therapy, the five-year survival rate for patients with SCCHN in the United States and other developed countries remains poor as nearly 50-60% of these patients will die as a direct result of recurrent locoregional disease. This study aims to determine the 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) of previously irradiated patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) treated with radiosurgery and cetuximab and to evaluate the acute and late toxicities associated with the therapy.

Arms:
arm 1: None

Interventions: intervention 1: Cetuximab intervention 2: Stereotactic radiosurgery
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Cetuximab will be administered for 3 weekly doses commencing one week prior to stereotactic radiosurgery treatment as follows: \* Cetuximab 400 mg / m2 day -7 (1 week prior to initiation of radiosurgery) \* Cetuximab 250 mg/m2 days 0 and +8 (i.e. during the first and second week of fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery) Cetuximab will be administered at 400 mg/m2 IV over 120 minutes on day -7 (loading dose) and 250 mg/m2 IV on days 0 and 8 during the course of stereotactic radiosurgery. intervention 2: Fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery, 8.0 Gy per fraction for 5 fractions (total: 40.0 Gy)

Protocol document: