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CompletedNCT00002951Updated Sep 5, 2013

Chemotherapy Plus Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

A Phase 2 interventional study of fluorouracil and hydroxyurea in Esophageal Cancer and Head and Neck Cancer, sponsored by University of Chicago. Completed at 4 sites in United States. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-09-05.

Sponsored by University of Chicago · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
53
Allocation
Not applicable
Sex
All
01

Study summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of chemotherapy plus radiation therapy in treating patients with head and neck cancer.

Read the detailed description

OBJECTIVES:

  • Determine the locoregional control rates, time to failure, need for salvage surgery and overall survival of patients with intermediate stage cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, paranasal sinuses, and cervical esophagus.
  • Measure the impact of concomitant Hyper-FHX radiotherapy on organ preservation, organ function and quality of life parameters.
  • Identify possible prognostic factors for toxic effects and response by performing pharmacologic monitoring.

OUTLINE: Patients receive concomitant chemoradiotherapy with curative intent. Patients who have microscopic or macroscopic residual disease 6 weeks after completion of chemoradiotherapy will receive a surgical salvage procedure.

The first cycle of chemotherapy will begin with PO doses of hydroxyurea every 12 hours on days 0-5. Fluorouracil is given IV on days 0-4. Radiation therapy BID is given on days 1-6. Cycles repeat every 14 days for a total of 5 cycles.

The disease will be reevaluated 4-6 weeks after completion of all treatment, every 3 months for 1 year, then yearly.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 40 patients will be accrued for this study.

02

Conditions studied

  • Esophageal Cancer
  • Head and Neck Cancer

Keywords

  • stage II esophageal cancer
  • stage III esophageal cancer
  • stage II nasopharyngeal cancer
  • stage III nasopharyngeal cancer
  • stage II lip and oral cavity cancer
  • stage III lip and oral cavity cancer
  • stage II hypopharyngeal cancer
  • stage III hypopharyngeal cancer
  • stage II laryngeal cancer
  • stage III laryngeal cancer
  • stage II paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer
  • stage III paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer
  • stage II oropharyngeal cancer
  • stage III oropharyngeal cancer
03

In context

Head and Neck Neoplasms

2,344 studies on the registry are indexed under Head and Neck Neoplasms; 551 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 53 is above the median of 47 across 1,751 interventional studies indexed under Head and Neck Neoplasms.

Browse Head and Neck Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Chicago is the lead sponsor of 907 studies on the registry; 182 are open to participants now.

Of its 99 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 68 (69%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of carcinoma
  • Stage II-III (T2, T3, N0 or T1-3, N1) carcinoma of head and neck, including: oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, paranasal sinuses, and cervical esophagus
  • No N2 or N3
  • Measurable disease is not required

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

  • Not specified

Performance status:

  • Zubrod 0-3

Life expectancy:

  • Anticipated survival is 3-4 years (median)

Hematopoietic:

  • WBC count at least 3.5/mm\^3
  • Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

  • Not specified

Renal:

  • Not specified

Cardiovascular:

  • Not specified

Pulmonary:

  • Not specified

Other:

  • No infection or severe medical illness
  • Not pregnant

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

  • Not specified

Chemotherapy:

  • No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

  • Not specified

Radiotherapy:

  • No prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

  • No prior surgery
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
53 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Arm A (Hyper-FHX)

    Concomitant chemoradiotherapy consisting of hydroxyurea (PO, BID, x 6days), continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil (IV, x 5days), hyperfractionated radiotherapy (150 cGy twice daily for 5 days every 14 days, 5 cycles)

    Drug: fluorouracil · Drug: hydroxyurea · Procedure: surgical procedure · Radiation: radiation therapy

Interventions

  • Drugfluorouracil
  • Drughydroxyurea
  • Proceduresurgical procedure
  • Radiationradiation therapy
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Locoregional control rate

    Time frame: 8 years

07

Study locations

4 sites
  • Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University
    Chicago, Illinois 60611-3013, United States
  • University of Chicago Cancer Research Center
    Chicago, Illinois 60637-1470, United States
  • Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital
    Chicago, Illinois 60640, United States
  • CCOP - Evanston
    Evanston, Illinois 60201, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Cohen EE, Haraf DJ, List MA, Kocherginsky M, Mittal BB, Rosen F, Brockstein B, Williams R, Witt ME, Stenson KM, Kies MS, Vokes EE. High survival and organ function rates after primary chemoradiotherapy for intermediate-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated in a multicenter phase II trial. J Clin Oncol. 2006 Jul 20;24(21):3438-44. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2006.05.8529. PubMed 16849759 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 5, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00002951
Lead sponsor
University of Chicago
Collaborators
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 27, 2003
Start date
Jun 1996
Primary completion
Jun 2004
Completion
Jul 2006
Last update
Sep 5, 2013

Study contacts

Everett E. Vokes, MD
study chair · University of Chicago

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2013. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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