The Quarterback Trial: Reduced Dose Radiotherapy for HPV+ Oropharynx Cancer
The Quarterback Trial: A Randomized Phase III Clinical Trial Comparing Reduced and Standard Radiation Therapy Doses for Locally Advanced HPV Positive Oropharynx Cancer
1 other identifier
interventional
23
1 country
1
Brief Summary
This trial aims to directly compare a reduced radiation dose to the standard of care in HPVOPC for non-inferiority, thus allowing for direct comparison of outcomes between the two groups. The study hypothesis is that LRC and PFS at 3 years for reduced dose CRT are non-inferior to standard dose CRT.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at below P25 for phase_3
Started Sep 2012
Longer than P75 for phase_3
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
September 1, 2012
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
September 14, 2012
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
October 15, 2012
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
April 1, 2020
CompletedResults Posted
Study results publicly available
September 1, 2022
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
May 1, 2035
ExpectedApril 9, 2026
March 1, 2026
7.6 years
September 14, 2012
May 25, 2022
March 27, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Number of Participants With Progression Free Survival (PFS)
Progression free survival (PFS) at 5 years in patients with advanced HPV related oropharynx cancer, nasopharynx cancer or unknown primary treated with reduced or standard dose radiation.
at 3 and 5 years
Secondary Outcomes (9)
Number of Participants With Local-regional Control
at 3 years
Number of Participants With Overall Survival at 5 Years
at 5 years
Number of Participants With Acute Toxicity of Chemoradiotherapy (CRT)
at 5 years
Biomarkers Predictive of Failure
at 5 years
Overall Survival at 15 Years
at 15 years
- +4 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (2)
Reduced Dose Radiation
EXPERIMENTALPatients randomized to receive a reduced (5600 cGy) dose radiotherapy with weekly Carboplatin
Standard Dose Radiation
ACTIVE COMPARATORPatients randomized to receive a standard (7000 cGy) dose radiotherapy with carboplatin
Interventions
Reduced Dose Radiation (5600 cGy) dose radiotherapy
Standard Dose Radiation (7000 cGy) dose radiotherapy
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Participants must have histologically or cytologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, unknown primary, or nasopharynx that is HPV positive as determined by PCR and p16 positive as determined by IHC. Tissue from the primary site must be available for biomarker studies. PCR and IHC must be performed in the central laboratory (Zhang, MSSM)
- Stage 3 or 4 disease without evidence of distant metastases.
- At least one clinically evaluable or uni- or bi-dimensionally measurable lesion by RECIST 1.1 criteria.
- Age \> 18 years.
- No previous surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy for SSCHN (other than biopsy or tonsillectomy) is allowed at time of study entry.
- ECOG performance status of 0 or 1.
- No active alcohol addiction (as assessed by medical caregiver and defined as at least 6 months without activity).
- Participants must have adequate bone marrow, hepatic and renal functions as defined in the protocol.
- Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
- Patients with Gilbert's Disease and absent hepatic pathology by history and clinical assessment maybe treated on study with bilirubins \> the ULN for the institution if other liver function studies are within the normal range
You may not qualify if:
- Pregnant or breast feeding women, or women and men of childbearing potential not willing to use adequate contraception while on treatment and for at least 3 months thereafter.
- Previous or current malignancies at other sites, with the exception of adequately treated in situ carcinoma of the cervix, basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, thyroid cancer, or other cancer curatively treated by surgery and with no current evidence of disease for at least 5 years.
- Symptomatic peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 by NCI Common Terminology Criteria (NCI-CTC) version 4.
- Symptomatic altered hearing \> grade 2 by NCI-CTCv4 criteria.
- Other serious illnesses or medical conditions including but not limited to:
- Unstable cardiac disease despite treatment, myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to study entry
- History of significant neurologic or psychiatric disorders including dementia or seizures
- Active clinically significant uncontrolled infection
- Active peptic ulcer disease defined as unhealed or clinically active
- Hypercalcemia
- Active drug addiction including alcohol, cocaine or intravenous drug use defined as occurring within the 6 months preceding diagnosis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, defined as being associated with a hospitalization for pneumonia or respiratory decompensation within 12 months of diagnosis. This does not include obstruction from tumor
- Autoimmune disease requiring therapy, prior organ transplant, or HIV infection
- Interstitial lung disease
- Hepatitis C (test required)
- +4 more criteria
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinailead
- Biodesign Institutecollaborator
- Arizona State Universitycollaborator
Study Sites (1)
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York, 10029, United States
Related Publications (36)
Chaturvedi AK, Engels EA, Pfeiffer RM, Hernandez BY, Xiao W, Kim E, Jiang B, Goodman MT, Sibug-Saber M, Cozen W, Liu L, Lynch CF, Wentzensen N, Jordan RC, Altekruse S, Anderson WF, Rosenberg PS, Gillison ML. Human papillomavirus and rising oropharyngeal cancer incidence in the United States. J Clin Oncol. 2011 Nov 10;29(32):4294-301. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2011.36.4596. Epub 2011 Oct 3.
PMID: 21969503BACKGROUNDChaturvedi AK, Engels EA, Anderson WF, Gillison ML. Incidence trends for human papillomavirus-related and -unrelated oral squamous cell carcinomas in the United States. J Clin Oncol. 2008 Feb 1;26(4):612-9. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2007.14.1713.
PMID: 18235120BACKGROUNDNasman A, Attner P, Hammarstedt L, Du J, Eriksson M, Giraud G, Ahrlund-Richter S, Marklund L, Romanitan M, Lindquist D, Ramqvist T, Lindholm J, Sparen P, Ye W, Dahlstrand H, Munck-Wikland E, Dalianis T. Incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV) positive tonsillar carcinoma in Stockholm, Sweden: an epidemic of viral-induced carcinoma? Int J Cancer. 2009 Jul 15;125(2):362-6. doi: 10.1002/ijc.24339.
PMID: 19330833BACKGROUNDAndl T, Kahn T, Pfuhl A, Nicola T, Erber R, Conradt C, Klein W, Helbig M, Dietz A, Weidauer H, Bosch FX. Etiological involvement of oncogenic human papillomavirus in tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas lacking retinoblastoma cell cycle control. Cancer Res. 1998 Jan 1;58(1):5-13.
PMID: 9426048BACKGROUNDMunger K, Baldwin A, Edwards KM, Hayakawa H, Nguyen CL, Owens M, Grace M, Huh K. Mechanisms of human papillomavirus-induced oncogenesis. J Virol. 2004 Nov;78(21):11451-60. doi: 10.1128/JVI.78.21.11451-11460.2004. No abstract available.
PMID: 15479788BACKGROUNDPsyrri A, DeFilippis RA, Edwards AP, Yates KE, Manuelidis L, DiMaio D. Role of the retinoblastoma pathway in senescence triggered by repression of the human papillomavirus E7 protein in cervical carcinoma cells. Cancer Res. 2004 May 1;64(9):3079-86. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-03-3739.
PMID: 15126344BACKGROUNDWeinberger PM, Yu Z, Haffty BG, Kowalski D, Harigopal M, Brandsma J, Sasaki C, Joe J, Camp RL, Rimm DL, Psyrri A. Molecular classification identifies a subset of human papillomavirus--associated oropharyngeal cancers with favorable prognosis. J Clin Oncol. 2006 Feb 10;24(5):736-47. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2004.00.3335. Epub 2006 Jan 9.
PMID: 16401683BACKGROUNDAng KK, Harris J, Wheeler R, Weber R, Rosenthal DI, Nguyen-Tan PF, Westra WH, Chung CH, Jordan RC, Lu C, Kim H, Axelrod R, Silverman CC, Redmond KP, Gillison ML. Human papillomavirus and survival of patients with oropharyngeal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2010 Jul 1;363(1):24-35. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0912217. Epub 2010 Jun 7.
PMID: 20530316BACKGROUNDGillison ML, Koch WM, Capone RB, Spafford M, Westra WH, Wu L, Zahurak ML, Daniel RW, Viglione M, Symer DE, Shah KV, Sidransky D. Evidence for a causal association between human papillomavirus and a subset of head and neck cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2000 May 3;92(9):709-20. doi: 10.1093/jnci/92.9.709.
PMID: 10793107BACKGROUNDGillison ML. Human papillomavirus and prognosis of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: implications for clinical research in head and neck cancers. J Clin Oncol. 2006 Dec 20;24(36):5623-5. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2006.07.1829. No abstract available.
PMID: 17179099BACKGROUNDRingstrom E, Peters E, Hasegawa M, Posner M, Liu M, Kelsey KT. Human papillomavirus type 16 and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Clin Cancer Res. 2002 Oct;8(10):3187-92.
PMID: 12374687BACKGROUNDLassen P, Eriksen JG, Hamilton-Dutoit S, Tramm T, Alsner J, Overgaard J. Effect of HPV-associated p16INK4A expression on response to radiotherapy and survival in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. J Clin Oncol. 2009 Apr 20;27(12):1992-8. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2008.20.2853. Epub 2009 Mar 16.
PMID: 19289615BACKGROUNDLicitra L, Perrone F, Bossi P, Suardi S, Mariani L, Artusi R, Oggionni M, Rossini C, Cantu G, Squadrelli M, Quattrone P, Locati LD, Bergamini C, Olmi P, Pierotti MA, Pilotti S. High-risk human papillomavirus affects prognosis in patients with surgically treated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. 2006 Dec 20;24(36):5630-6. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2005.04.6136.
PMID: 17179101BACKGROUNDCmelak AJ, Li S, Goldwasser MA, Murphy B, Cannon M, Pinto H, Rosenthal DI, Gillison M, Forastiere AA. Phase II trial of chemoradiation for organ preservation in resectable stage III or IV squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx or oropharynx: results of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study E2399. J Clin Oncol. 2007 Sep 1;25(25):3971-7. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2007.10.8951.
PMID: 17761982BACKGROUNDFakhry C, Westra WH, Li S, Cmelak A, Ridge JA, Pinto H, Forastiere A, Gillison ML. Improved survival of patients with human papillomavirus-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in a prospective clinical trial. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2008 Feb 20;100(4):261-9. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djn011. Epub 2008 Feb 12.
PMID: 18270337BACKGROUNDWorden FP, Kumar B, Lee JS, Wolf GT, Cordell KG, Taylor JM, Urba SG, Eisbruch A, Teknos TN, Chepeha DB, Prince ME, Tsien CI, D'Silva NJ, Yang K, Kurnit DM, Mason HL, Miller TH, Wallace NE, Bradford CR, Carey TE. Chemoselection as a strategy for organ preservation in advanced oropharynx cancer: response and survival positively associated with HPV16 copy number. J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jul 1;26(19):3138-46. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2007.12.7597. Epub 2008 May 12.
PMID: 18474879BACKGROUNDRischin D, Young RJ, Fisher R, Fox SB, Le QT, Peters LJ, Solomon B, Choi J, O'Sullivan B, Kenny LM, McArthur GA. Prognostic significance of p16INK4A and human papillomavirus in patients with oropharyngeal cancer treated on TROG 02.02 phase III trial. J Clin Oncol. 2010 Sep 20;28(27):4142-8. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2010.29.2904. Epub 2010 Aug 9.
PMID: 20697079BACKGROUNDLorch JH, Goloubeva O, Haddad RI, Cullen K, Sarlis N, Tishler R, Tan M, Fasciano J, Sammartino DE, Posner MR; TAX 324 Study Group. Induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and fluorouracil alone or in combination with docetaxel in locally advanced squamous-cell cancer of the head and neck: long-term results of the TAX 324 randomised phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2011 Feb;12(2):153-9. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(10)70279-5. Epub 2011 Jan 11.
PMID: 21233014BACKGROUNDPosner MR, Lorch JH, Goloubeva O, Tan M, Schumaker LM, Sarlis NJ, Haddad RI, Cullen KJ. Survival and human papillomavirus in oropharynx cancer in TAX 324: a subset analysis from an international phase III trial. Ann Oncol. 2011 May;22(5):1071-1077. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdr006. Epub 2011 Feb 11.
PMID: 21317223BACKGROUNDMachtay M, Moughan J, Trotti A, Garden AS, Weber RS, Cooper JS, Forastiere A, Ang KK. Factors associated with severe late toxicity after concurrent chemoradiation for locally advanced head and neck cancer: an RTOG analysis. J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jul 20;26(21):3582-9. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2007.14.8841. Epub 2008 Jun 16.
PMID: 18559875BACKGROUNDAdelstein DJ, Li Y, Adams GL, Wagner H Jr, Kish JA, Ensley JF, Schuller DE, Forastiere AA. An intergroup phase III comparison of standard radiation therapy and two schedules of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with unresectable squamous cell head and neck cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2003 Jan 1;21(1):92-8. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2003.01.008.
PMID: 12506176BACKGROUNDForastiere A, Maor M, Weber R, Pajak, T, Glisson B, Trotti A, Ridge J, et al. Long term results of Intergroup RTOG 91-11: A Phase III trial to preserve the larynx - Induction cisplatin/5-FU and radiation therapy versus concurrent cisplatin and radiation therapy versus radiation therapy. Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 2006:5517.
BACKGROUNDStaar S, Rudat V, Stuetzer H, Dietz A, Volling P, Schroeder M, Flentje M, Eckel HE, Mueller RP. Intensified hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy limits the additional benefit of simultaneous chemotherapy--results of a multicentric randomized German trial in advanced head-and-neck cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2001 Aug 1;50(5):1161-71. doi: 10.1016/s0360-3016(01)01544-9.
PMID: 11483325BACKGROUNDTaylor SG 4th, Murthy AK, Vannetzel JM, Colin P, Dray M, Caldarelli DD, Shott S, Vokes E, Showel JL, Hutchinson JC, et al. Randomized comparison of neoadjuvant cisplatin and fluorouracil infusion followed by radiation versus concomitant treatment in advanced head and neck cancer. J Clin Oncol. 1994 Feb;12(2):385-95. doi: 10.1200/JCO.1994.12.2.385.
PMID: 8113846BACKGROUNDBest SR, Ha PK, Blanco RG, Saunders JR Jr, Zinreich ES, Levine MA, Pai SI, Walker M, Trachta J, Ulmer K, Murakami P, Thompson R, Califano JA, Messing BP. Factors associated with pharyngoesophageal stricture in patients treated with concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Head Neck. 2011 Dec;33(12):1727-34. doi: 10.1002/hed.21657. Epub 2011 Jan 18.
PMID: 21246640BACKGROUNDBonner JA, Harari PM, Giralt J, Cohen RB, Jones CU, Sur RK, Raben D, Baselga J, Spencer SA, Zhu J, Youssoufian H, Rowinsky EK, Ang KK. Radiotherapy plus cetuximab for locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer: 5-year survival data from a phase 3 randomised trial, and relation between cetuximab-induced rash and survival. Lancet Oncol. 2010 Jan;11(1):21-8. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(09)70311-0. Epub 2009 Nov 10.
PMID: 19897418BACKGROUNDAgoston ES, Robinson SJ, Mehra KK, Birch C, Semmel D, Mirkovic J, Haddad RI, Posner MR, Kindelberger D, Krane JF, Brodsky J, Crum CP. Polymerase chain reaction detection of HPV in squamous carcinoma of the oropharynx. Am J Clin Pathol. 2010 Jul;134(1):36-41. doi: 10.1309/AJCP1AAWXE5JJCLZ.
PMID: 20551264BACKGROUNDHarris SL, Thorne LB, Seaman WT, Hayes DN, Couch ME, Kimple RJ. Association of p16(INK4a) overexpression with improved outcomes in young patients with squamous cell cancers of the oral tongue. Head Neck. 2011 Nov;33(11):1622-7. doi: 10.1002/hed.21650. Epub 2010 Dec 28.
PMID: 21990227BACKGROUNDSchache AG, Liloglou T, Risk JM, Filia A, Jones TM, Sheard J, Woolgar JA, Helliwell TR, Triantafyllou A, Robinson M, Sloan P, Harvey-Woodworth C, Sisson D, Shaw RJ. Evaluation of human papilloma virus diagnostic testing in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: sensitivity, specificity, and prognostic discrimination. Clin Cancer Res. 2011 Oct 1;17(19):6262-71. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-11-0388.
PMID: 21969383BACKGROUNDMaxwell JH, Kumar B, Feng FY, Worden FP, Lee JS, Eisbruch A, Wolf GT, Prince ME, Moyer JS, Teknos TN, Chepeha DB, McHugh JB, Urba SG, Stoerker J, Walline HM, Kurnit DM, Cordell KG, Davis SJ, Ward PD, Bradford CR, Carey TE. Tobacco use in human papillomavirus-positive advanced oropharynx cancer patients related to increased risk of distant metastases and tumor recurrence. Clin Cancer Res. 2010 Feb 15;16(4):1226-35. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-09-2350. Epub 2010 Feb 9.
PMID: 20145161BACKGROUNDAnderson KS, Wong J, D'Souza G, Riemer AB, Lorch J, Haddad R, Pai SI, Longtine J, McClean M, LaBaer J, Kelsey KT, Posner M. Serum antibodies to the HPV16 proteome as biomarkers for head and neck cancer. Br J Cancer. 2011 Jun 7;104(12):1896-905. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2011.171.
PMID: 21654689BACKGROUNDKumar B, Cordell KG, Lee JS, Worden FP, Prince ME, Tran HH, Wolf GT, Urba SG, Chepeha DB, Teknos TN, Eisbruch A, Tsien CI, Taylor JM, D'Silva NJ, Yang K, Kurnit DM, Bauer JA, Bradford CR, Carey TE. EGFR, p16, HPV Titer, Bcl-xL and p53, sex, and smoking as indicators of response to therapy and survival in oropharyngeal cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jul 1;26(19):3128-37. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2007.12.7662. Epub 2008 May 12.
PMID: 18474878BACKGROUNDPorceddu SV, Pryor DI, Burmeister E, Burmeister BH, Poulsen MG, Foote MC, Panizza B, Coman S, McFarlane D, Coman W. Results of a prospective study of positron emission tomography-directed management of residual nodal abnormalities in node-positive head and neck cancer after definitive radiotherapy with or without systemic therapy. Head Neck. 2011 Dec;33(12):1675-82. doi: 10.1002/hed.21655. Epub 2011 Jan 14.
PMID: 22076976BACKGROUNDRiemer AB, Keskin DB, Zhang G, Handley M, Anderson KS, Brusic V, Reinhold B, Reinherz EL. A conserved E7-derived cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitope expressed on human papillomavirus 16-transformed HLA-A2+ epithelial cancers. J Biol Chem. 2010 Sep 17;285(38):29608-22. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.126722. Epub 2010 Jul 8.
PMID: 20615877BACKGROUNDTakahashi M, Hwang M, Misiukiewicz K, Gupta V, Miles BA, Bakst R, Genden E, Selkridge I, Botzler J, Virani V, Moshier E, Bonomi MR, Posner MR. Quality of Life Analysis of HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients in a Randomized Trial of Reduced-Dose Versus Standard Chemoradiotherapy: 5-Year Follow-Up. Front Oncol. 2022 Apr 8;12:859992. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.859992. eCollection 2022.
PMID: 35463348DERIVEDPsyrri A, Rampias T, Vermorken JB. The current and future impact of human papillomavirus on treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Ann Oncol. 2014 Nov;25(11):2101-2115. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdu265. Epub 2014 Jul 23.
PMID: 25057165DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Results Point of Contact
- Title
- Dr. Marshall R Posner
- Organization
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Krzysztof Misiukiewicz, M.D.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Publication Agreements
- PI is Sponsor Employee
- Yes
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 3
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Associate Professor
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
September 14, 2012
First Posted
October 15, 2012
Study Start
September 1, 2012
Primary Completion
April 1, 2020
Study Completion (Estimated)
May 1, 2035
Last Updated
April 9, 2026
Results First Posted
September 1, 2022
Record last verified: 2026-03