Methotrexate Compared With Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

NCT00003592 | Completed Phase 3

• 2 other identifiers: CDR0000066662E-7397
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 230
• Locations: 2 countries
• Sites: 20

Brief Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. It is not yet known whether methotrexate or paclitaxel is more effective in treating patients with advanced head and neck cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of methotrexate with that of paclitaxel in treating patients who have advanced head and neck cancer that cannot be treated with cisplatin.

Conditions

Head and Neck Cancer

Keywords

stage IV salivary gland cancer; recurrent salivary gland cancer; salivary gland squamous cell carcinoma; stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity; recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and oral cavity; stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx; recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx; stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx; recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx; stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx; recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx; stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx; recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx; stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity; recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity

Interventions

methotrexate DRUG

paclitaxel DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 120 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed advanced, incurable, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck Recurrent disease in a previously irradiated field must be biopsy proven or documented unequivocally by physical exam or radiograph(s) Measurable or evaluable disease Patients with ECOG performance status of 0-1 must be ineligible for protocol E-1395 and unable to tolerate cisplatin-based therapy for 1 or more of the following reasons: Hearing loss that precludes cisplatin Unable to handle a fluid load necessitated by cisplatin-based treatment, due to underlying cardiac or pulmonary disease Mild renal insufficiency (creatinine 1.6-2.0 mg/dL) or creatinine clearance of 40-60 mL/min that would make cisplatin treatment difficult, if not dangerous History of brain metastases allowed if disease has stabilized or improved after radiation and/or craniotomy No history of carcinomatous meningitis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-2 (See Disease Characteristics) Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,800/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL SGOT and SGPT no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal Renal: See Disease Characteristics Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL No evidence of symptomatic hypercalcemia Cardiovascular: See Disease Characteristics No active angina or uncontrolled arrhythmias Metabolic: No uncontrolled diabetes; no random blood sugar at least 300 mg/dL Neurological: No evidence of ongoing grade 2 or greater peripheral sensory neuropathy Pulmonary: See Disease Characteristics Other: No other concurrent, active, invasive malignancies No significant detectable infection Not pregnant or nursing Effective contraception required of all fertile patients PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy except in the adjuvant, neoadjuvant, or radiosensitizing setting No prior chemotherapy for recurrent or persistent disease after definitive local therapy At least 6 months since prior methotrexate or paclitaxel Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Recovered from prior surgery

Contact the study team to discuss eligibility requirements. They can help determine if this study is right for you.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group: lead
• National Cancer Institute (NCI): collaborator

Study Sites (20)

Emory University Hospital - Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States

Location

Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Atlanta (Decatur)

Decatur, Georgia, 30033, United States

Location

Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

Location

Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Chicago (Lakeside)

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

Location

CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association

Peoria, Illinois, 61602, United States

Location

CCOP - Carle Cancer Center

Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

Location

CCOP - Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo, Michigan, 49007-3731, United States

Location

CCOP - Metro-Minnesota

Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, 55416, United States

Location

CCOP - Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium

Omaha, Nebraska, 68131, United States

Location

Veterans Affairs Medical Center - East Orange

East Orange, New Jersey, 07018-1095, United States

Location

University of Rochester Cancer Center

Rochester, New York, 14642, United States

Location

Albert Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Bronx, New York, 10461, United States

Location

Ireland Cancer Center

Cleveland, Ohio, 44106-5065, United States

Location

CCOP - Toledo Community Hospital Oncology Program

Toledo, Ohio, 43623-3456, United States

Location

Fox Chase Cancer Center

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19111, United States

Location

Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Nashville

Nashville, Tennessee, 37212, United States

Location

Vanderbilt Cancer Center

Nashville, Tennessee, 37232-6838, United States

Location

Medical College of Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226, United States

Location

Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Milwaukee (Zablocki)

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53295, United States

Location

Pretoria Academic Hospital

Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Head and Neck Neoplasms; Salivary Gland Neoplasms; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

Interventions

Methotrexate; Paclitaxel

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Mouth Neoplasms; Mouth Diseases; Stomatognathic Diseases; Salivary Gland Diseases; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Carcinoma; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Neoplasms by Histologic Type

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Aminopterin; Pterins; Pteridines; Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds, Fused-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds; Taxoids; Cyclodecanes; Cycloparaffins; Hydrocarbons, Alicyclic; Hydrocarbons, Cyclic; Hydrocarbons; Organic Chemicals; Diterpenes; Terpenes

Study Officials

• Corey J. Langer, MD

  Fox Chase Cancer Center

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 3
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Sponsor Type: NETWORK

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 1, 1999
• First Posted: June 16, 2004
• Study Start: April 22, 1999
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2000
• Study Completion: March 2, 2004
• Last Updated: June 22, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-06

Locations

US (19); ZA (1)