A Phase 1/2 interventional study of Afatinib in Fanconi Anemia and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, sponsored by Fundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Recruiting at 2 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-27.
Sponsored by Fundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Treatment
This research study is a phase Ib/II, single-arm, non-randomized, non-blind, multicenter study designed to determine whether Afatinib is effective and safe in patients with locoregionally unresectable and / or metastatic HNSCC with Fanconi Anemia.
The main hypothesis, based on preclinical evidence, is that treatment with afatinib, an epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), could be an effective treatment option to control cancer for patients with FA - HNSCC.
Adequate organ and bone marrow functions, as defined below:
Female patients must either:
Be of non-childbearing potential:
Postmenopausal *(defined as at least 1 year without any menses) prior to screening , or Documented surgically sterile (e.g.hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, or bilateral tubal occlusion).
*Those who are amenorrheic due to an alternative medical cause are not considered postmenopausal and must follow the criteria for childbearing potential subjects.
OR
Agree not to try to become pregnant during the study and for at least 1 months after the final study drug administration, And have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 7 days prior to Day 1 (females with false positive results and documented verification of negative pregnancy status are eligible for participation), And if heterosexually active, agree to abstinence (if in line with the usual preferred lifestyle of the patient) or consistently use a condom plus 1 form of highly effective birth control per locally accepted standards starting at screening and throughout the study period and for at least 1 month after the final study drug administration.
Exclusion Criteria:
Previous treatment with EGFR small molecule inhibitors, EGFR inhibitory antibodies and / or any investigational agents for the treatment of HNSCC within 4 weeks prior to the selection was not allowed.
Note: Previous treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is allowed.
Existence of any other intercurrent malignant disease is not allowed within the previous 2 years to inclusion.
Note: Patients with non melanoma skin cancer, curatively treated localized prostate cancer, or carcinoma in situ of any type (if complete resection was performed) are allowed.
Patient has documented history of a cerebral vascular event (stroke or transient ischemic attack), or the following criteria for cardiac disease:
Afatinib starting at 20 mg (weeks 1-2), escalating to 30 mg after two weeks (weeks 3-4) and escalating to 40 mg after one month (week 5 - thereafter) if no hematologic or other relevant toxicities are observed (CTCAE V5.0 \< grade 2)
Drug: Afatinib
Afatinib starting at 20 mg (weeks 1-2), escalating to 30 mg after two weeks (weeks 3-4) and escalating to 40 mg after one month (week 5 - thereafter) if no hematologic or other relevant toxicities are observed (CTCAE V5.0 \< grade 2)
Objective Response Rate (ORR)
Assessed by the investigator through imaging follow-up (CT scan/MRI) using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1. This will be considered as the percentage/proportion of patients with confirmed complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) as their overall best response throughout the first 9 months after the first dose of afatinib. Objective responses will be assessed locally by the investigator according to RECIST, V1.1, and indicating the change in size of tumors as compared with baseline, at the first dose of study treatment.
Time frame: At 9-months after the first dose of study treatment
Disease control rate (DCR)
Percentage/proportion of patients with complete response (CR) or partial response (PR), according to ORR definition for the trial, or maintained stable disease (SD) as their overall best response, assessed by imaging follow-up (CT scan/MRI) and RECIST V1.1 criteria. Stable disease should be maintained for at least 4 months to be considered as a DCR event.
Time frame: Throughout the study period, at least 9 months
Duration of response (DoR)
Time from first confirmed response (CR or PR), according to ORR definition for the trial, to the date of the documented progression of the disease (PD) as determined using RECIST V1.1 criteria or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first. Those patients with response and without PD or death event will be censored on the date of their last tumor assessment.
Time frame: Throughout the study period, at least 9 months
Disease-free survival (DFS)
Time from first dosing date to the date of PD /secondary primary tumor (SPT) according to RECIST V1.1. Patients alive and free of events at the date of the analysis will be censored at their last known tumor assessment. Patients who start a new treatment line without progression /SPT will be censored on the date of first dose of the subsequent anticancer treatment.
Time frame: Throughout the study period, at least 9 months
Overall survival (OS)
defined as the time elapsed from the first dose of study treatment until death from any cause. We will assess the median OS, estimated by Kaplan-Meier. Patients alive and free of events at the date of the analysis will be censored at their last known contact.
Time frame: Throughout the study period, at least 9 months
Patient reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) QLQ-C30
assessed through the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), version 3. The endpoint will report a numerical value that ranges from 0 to 100. Higher values indicate better performances status for all items but for symptoms, in which higher indicates greater or stronger symptoms.
Time frame: At baseline and every 8 weeks until tumor recurrence, approximately 9 months
Patient reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) QLQ-HN43
assessed through the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire EORTC head and neck cancer specific complementary module QLQ-HN43. The endpoint will report a numerical value that ranges from 0 to 100. Higher values indicate better performances status for all items but for symptoms, in which higher indicates greater or stronger symptoms.
Time frame: At baseline and every 8 weeks until tumor recurrence, approximately 9 months
Patient reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) EQ-5D
assessed through the EQ-5D Health Status Questionnaire. The endpoint will report a numerical value that ranges from 0 to 100. Higher values indicate better performances status for all items but for symptoms, in which higher indicates greater or stronger symptoms.
Time frame: At baseline and every 8 weeks until tumor recurrence, approximately 9 months
Rate of severe toxicities
Percentage of patients experiencing Grade 3-5 treatment-related Adverse events (AEs) ) assessed by national cancer institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events CTCAE v5.0
Time frame: Throughout the study period, at least 9 months
Plan to share: No — No individual patient data will be shared
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Fundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau