Stereotactic Boost and Short-course Radiation Therapy for Oropharynx Cancer

Official Title

Stereotactic Boost and SHOrt-course Radiation Therapy for HPV-associated OroPharynx Cancer Trial: A Randomized Multicentric Phase II Trial

Summary:

This is a randomized clinical trial comparing the outcomes of short-course chemoradiation consisting in stereotactic boost to the gross tumour and de-esclalated chemoradiation to the elective neck in human papilloma associated oropharynx cancer vs. the current standard 7-week course chemoradiation.

Trial Description

Primary Outcome:

• Locoregional control

Secondary Outcome:

• Subacute toxicity
• Acute toxicity
• Late toxicity
• OS
• PFS
• Head and neck symptom burden
• Dysphagia
• Time from treatment start to return to work

Concurrent platinum-based chemoradiation remains the standard of care in locally advanced head and neck cancer. The current standard radiation regimen consists in a 7-week course of conventionally fractionated radiation therapy to the gross tumour volume (GTV), along with bilateral prophylactic neck irradiation to an elective dose of 50 Gy in 2 Gy per fraction. In addition to being cumbersome, the current protracted daily radiation course is associated with high rates of acute and late toxicities and significant deterioration of patients' quality of life. In the light of the remarkably improved prognosis of the distinct subgroup of HPV-OPC, there is growing interest for treatment de-intensification strategies in contemporaneous OPC cohorts. Stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) allows for ultra-precise delivery of ablative radiation dose over a small number of fractions, by combining sharp dose gradients with use of optimal image guidance. The increased conformity and reduced margins used in SABR can substantially reduce the dose to surrounding organs at risk and could therefore reduce toxicity. In addition, previous work has shown that an elective dose of 40 Gy in 2 Gy per fraction, in conjunction with chemotherapy, is sufficient for microscopic sterilisation of cancer cells and can translate into a reduction of toxicities. The goal of this trial is to compare the efficacy and safety of short-course chemoradiation consisting in stereotactic boost to the gross tumour of 14 Gy in 2 fractions followed by de-esclalated chemoradiation (40 Gy in 20 fractions and concurrent 2 cycles of Cisplatin 100mg/m2) in human papilloma associated oropharynx cancer vs. the current standard 7-week course chemoradiation (70 Gy in 33 fractions with 2-3 cycles of Cisplatin 100mg/m2). This is an open label randomized phase II trial with 2 planned interim safety (toxicity) analysis and 1 futility (locoregional control) analysis with go/no go decision to pursue the study based on probabilities of toxicities and LRC (Bayesian adaptive design). Patients will be randomized using a 1:1 ratio between the standard and the experimental arm and will be stratified by tumour stage. At the significance level of 0.2 and assuming the LRC rate of 90% for both experimental and control arms, 80% for the non-inferiority test with the margin of 10%, and 6% attrition rate, a total of 106 patients will be enrolled.

View this trial on ClinicalTrials.gov