An interventional study of Chemotherapy and Computed Tomography in Clinical Stage I HPV-Mediated (p16-Positive) Oropharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8, Clinical Stage II HPV-Mediated (p16-Positive) Oropharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8 and Clinical Stage III HPV-Mediated (p16-Positive) Oropharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8, sponsored by City of Hope Medical Center. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-09.
Sponsored by City of Hope Medical Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This clinical trial studies the side effects and how well removing the planning tumor volume (PTV) from radiation therapy (RT) works in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Standard therapy for HNSCC often involves giving RT with chemotherapy; however, this approach is associated with a high level of short- and long-term side effects. RT uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. RT is planned to be delivered based on three volumes of the tumor. The first is the gross tumor volume which is the area of the tumor that can be seen, felt, or measured on imaging. The second is the clinical tumor volume which includes the gross tumor volume as well as area beyond this to account for disease that cannot be seen on imaging and may have spread. The third is the PTV which includes an area beyond both the gross tumor volume and clinical tumor volume to account for errors that may happen during RT, such as setup error or movement. As the area between the clinical tumor volume and PTV is not cancer and current advances in RT have improved RT accuracy, researchers think that removing PTV from RT may lower side effects while still being an effective treatment. Removing the PTV from RT may safe, tolerable, and/or effective in treating patients with HNSCC.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. Describe the effect of eliminating PTV on locoregional control and marginal recurrence at 6 months in patients with HNSCC undergoing definitive RT, with or without chemotherapy.
II. Describe the effect of PTV on early toxicity, PRO (patient reported outcomes) and QOL (quality of life) in patients with HNSCC undergoing definitive RT, with or without chemotherapy.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. Describe the effect of eliminating PTV on locoregional control at 2 and 5 years in patients with HNSCC undergoing definitive RT, with or without chemotherapy.
II. Describe the patterns of failure when eliminating PTV at 3 months, 2 years and 5 years in patients with HNSCC undergoing definitive RT, with or without chemotherapy.
III. Describe the effect of eliminating PTV on later toxicity in patients with HNSCC undergoing definitive RT, with or without chemotherapy.
IV. Describe the effect of eliminating PTV on later PRO (patient reported outcomes) and QOL (quality of life) in patients with HNSCC undergoing definitive RT, with or without chemotherapy.
V. Describe differences in dosimetric comparison plans with and without PTV in patients with HNSCC undergoing definitive RT, with or without chemotherapy.
VI. Describe the effect of eliminating PTV on marginal recurrence rate at 2 and 5 years in patients with HNSCC undergoing definitive RT, with or without chemotherapy.
OUTLINE:
Patients undergo intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) without PTV 5-6 times a week for thirty-five treatment fractions over 6-7 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients may also receive concurrent chemotherapy on study. Additionally, patients undergo computed tomography (CT), fludeoxyglucose F-18 (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/CT, and laryngopharyngoscopy during screening and CT or FDG-PET/CT during follow up.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months during years 1-2 and then every 6 months during years 3-5.
369 studies on the registry are indexed under Oropharyngeal Neoplasms; 103 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 30 is below the median of 52 across 265 interventional studies indexed under Oropharyngeal Neoplasms.
Browse Oropharyngeal Neoplasms studies →City of Hope Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 677 studies on the registry; 181 are open to participants now.
Of its 31 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 12 (39%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Documented of the participant and/or Legally Authorized Representative
No disease and eligible for definitive radiation based on the following diagnostic workup:
Agreement by females and males of childbearing potential to use an effective method of or abstain from heterosexual activity for the course of the study through at least 6 months after the last dose of protocol therapy
Exclusion Criteria:
Severe, active co-morbidity defined as follows:
For patients with evidence of chronic virus (HBV) infection, the HBV viral load must be undetectable on suppressive therapy, if indicated. Hepatitis B testing is not required for entry into this protocol
Patients with a history of virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. For patients with HCV infection who are currently on treatment for the hepatitis, they are eligible if they have an undetectable HCV viral load. Hepatitis C testing is not required for entry into this protocol
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ECOG performance status
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Metastases
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis B tests
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis C tests
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patients undergo IMRT or IGRT without PTV 5-6 times a week for thirty-five treatment fractions over 6-7 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients may also receive concurrent chemotherapy on study. Additionally, patients undergo CT, FDG-PET/CT, and laryngopharyngoscopy during screening and CT or FDG-PET/CT during follow up.
Drug: Chemotherapy · Procedure: Computed Tomography · Procedure: Endoscopic Procedure · Procedure: FDG-Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography Scan · Radiation: Image Guided Radiation Therapy · Radiation: Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy · Other: Survey Administration
Given concurrent chemotherapy
Also known as: Chemo, Chemotherapy (NOS), Chemotherapy, Cancer, General
Undergo CT and/or FDG-PET/CT
Also known as: CAT, CAT Scan, Computed Axial Tomography, Computerized Axial Tomography, Computerized axial tomography (procedure), Computerized Tomography, Computerized Tomography (CT) scan, CT, CT Scan, Diagnostic CAT Scan, Diagnostic CAT Scan Service Type, tomography
Undergo laryngopharyngoscopy
Also known as: Endoscopic Examination, Endoscopy, ES
Undergo FDG-PET/CT
Also known as: FDG PET/CT
Undergo IGRT without PTV
Also known as: IGRT, Image Guided Radiotherapy, image-guided radiation therapy, Image-Guided Radiotherapy
Undergo IMRT without PTV
Also known as: IMRT, Intensity modulated radiation therapy (procedure), Intensity Modulated RT, Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy, Radiation, Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy
Ancillary studies
Percent of patients experiencing locoregional recurrence and marginal recurrence
Will be summarized using descriptive statistics. Will be calculated using the number of patients local or regional recurrence and marginal recurrence divided by the total number of treated/evaluable subjects. Point estimates and two-sided 95% exact binomial confidence intervals will be reported. As secondary analyses, time to locoregional recurrence will be measured from completion of radiation therapy to the first documented local or regional recurrence. The cumulative incidence of locoregional recurrence at 3 months, 2 years, and 5 years will be estimated. Patients alive and free of locoregional recurrence will be censored at the date of their last contact. Point estimates and two-sided 95% confidence intervals will be reported.
Time frame: At 6 months post-radiation therapy
Incidence of treatment-related adverse events
As assessed by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version (v) 6.0, delineated by grade and attribution. Observed toxicities will be summarized by incidence, type, severity, and attribution.
Time frame: From start of treatment to three months post-radiation therapy
Change in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Head and Neck Questionnaire (FACT-H&N) v4.0 scores
At each post-baseline time point, the observed score and change from baseline will be summarized using descriptive statistics, together with the mean change and its two-sided 95% confidence interval. The number of patients with available assessments will be reported at each time point. (Generalized) linear mixed-effects models may be used to characterize changes over time for exploratory analyses.
Time frame: From baseline to end of treatment and 3 months post-radiation therapy
Change in Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status
At each post-baseline time point, the observed score and change from baseline will be summarized using descriptive statistics, together with the mean change and its two-sided 95% confidence interval. The number of patients with available assessments will be reported at each time point. (Generalized) linear mixed-effects models may be used to characterize changes over time for exploratory analyses.
Time frame: From baseline to end of treatment and 3 months post-radiation therapy
Locoregional recurrence rate
Will be summarized using descriptive statistics. Will be calculated using the number of patients local or regional recurrence and marginal recurrence divided by the total number of treated/evaluable subjects. Point estimates and two-sided 95% exact binomial confidence intervals will be reported. As secondary analyses, time to locoregional recurrence will be measured from completion of radiation therapy to the first documented local or regional recurrence. The cumulative incidence of locoregional recurrence at 3 months, 2 years, and 5 years will be estimated. Patients alive and free of locoregional recurrence will be censored at the date of their last contact. Point estimates and two-sided 95% confidence intervals will be reported.
Time frame: At 2 and 5 years post-radiation therapy
Local recurrence rates
Will be summarized using descriptive statistics. Will be calculated using the number of patients local recurrence divided by the total number of treated/evaluable subjects. Point estimates and two-sided 95% exact binomial confidence intervals will be reported. As secondary analyses, time to local recurrence will be measured from completion of radiation therapy to the first documented local recurrence. The cumulative incidence of local recurrence at 3 months, 2 years, and 5 years will be estimated. Patients alive and free of local recurrence will be censored at the date of their last contact. Point estimates and two-sided 95% confidence intervals will be reported.
Time frame: At 3 months, 2 years, and 5 years post-radiation therapy
Regional recurrence rates
Will be summarized using descriptive statistics. Will be calculated using the number of patients regional recurrence divided by the total number of treated/evaluable subjects. Point estimates and two-sided 95% exact binomial confidence intervals will be reported. As secondary analyses, time to regional recurrence will be measured from completion of radiation therapy to the first documented regional recurrence. The cumulative incidence of regional recurrence at 3 months, 2 years, and 5 years will be estimated. Patients alive and free of regional recurrence will be censored at the date of their last contact. Point estimates and two-sided 95% confidence intervals will be reported.
Time frame: At 3 months, 2 years, and 5 years post-radiation therapy
Incidence of treatment-related adverse events
As assessed by CTCAE v6.0, delineated by grade and attribution. Observed toxicities will be summarized by incidence, type, severity, and attribution.
Time frame: From start of treatment to 1 year post-radiation therapy
Change in FACT-H&N v4.0 scores
At each post-baseline time point, the observed score and change from baseline will be summarized using descriptive statistics, together with the mean change and its two-sided 95% confidence interval. The number of patients with available assessments will be reported at each time point. (Generalized) linear mixed-effects models may be used to characterize changes over time for exploratory analyses.
Time frame: From baseline to 6, 9, and 12 months post-radiation therapy
Change in ECOG performance status
At each post-baseline time point, the observed score and change from baseline will be summarized using descriptive statistics, together with the mean change and its two-sided 95% confidence interval. The number of patients with available assessments will be reported at each time point. (Generalized) linear mixed-effects models may be used to characterize changes over time for exploratory analyses.
Time frame: From baseline to 6, 9, and 12 months post-radiation therapy
Prespecified dosimetric parameters for organs at risk
Will be summarized separately for the delivered plan without planning tumor volume (PTV) and the comparison plan generated using PTV. Because both plans are generated for the same patient, the dosimetric quantity will be the within-patient difference between plans. Any formal paired comparisons will be considered exploratory.
Time frame: At time of radiation therapy (Up to 6-7 weeks)
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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