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RecruitingInterventionalPhase 2

ULTRA-HPV Using Circulating Tumor DNA to Risk Adapt Post-operative Therapy for HPV Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer

NCT ID: NCT06445114Sponsor: Zachary ZumstegLast updated: 2026-05-08

Summary

This is a single institution phase II study that will enroll patients with T0-3N0-2 p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) undergoing resection of all gross visible disease at the primary site and in the lymph nodes.

Detailed description

All eligible patients will be treated with a de-intensified cisplatin-based chemoradiation regimen after undergoing transoral robotic surgery. Enrolled patients will be risk-assessed and assigned to specific regimens based on a combination of their post-operative cTTMV-HPV DNA, as determined by results from NavDx kits by Naveris, and pathologic features. All patients will receive a dose of 40 mg/m2 IV weekly concurrently with radiation therapy. Patients ineligible to receive cisplatin at this dose will undergo modified sydtemic therapy. Patients will recieve concurrent radiation in a dose of 30 Gy in 15 fractions to the primary tumor bed, ipsilateral neck +/- contralateral neck. Based on risk-stratification, some patients will receive a sequential boost of 10 Gy over 5 fractions or 20 Gy over 10 fractions.

Arms & interventions

  • DrugCisplatin

    Low risk pathology with post-op HPV DNA (-): cisplatin-based chemoradiation with 30 Gy in 15 fractions and 3 cycles of weekly cisplatin 40mg/m2 IV on Days 1, 8, and 15 of radiation. Low risk pathology with post-op HPV DNA (+): cisplatin-based chemoradiation with 40 Gy in 20 fractions and 4 cycles of weekly cisplatin 40mg/m2 IV on Days 1, 8, 15, and 22 of radiation. High risk pathology with post-op HPV DNA (-), excluding patients with both 5 LN+ and ENE+ or pre-op HPV DNA≤12 copies/mL: cisplatin-based radiation with 40 Gy in 20 fractions and 4 cycles of weekly cisplatin 40mg/m2 IV on Days 1, 8, 15, and 22 of radiation. High risk pathology with post-op HPV DNA (+) OR pre-op HPV DNA≤12 copies/mL OR both 5 or more LN+ and ENE+: cisplatin-based radiation with 50 Gy in 25 fractions with 5 cycles of weekly cisplatin 40mg/m2 IV on Days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 of radiation.

Outcome measures

Primary

  • 2-year progression-free (PFS)

    The primary objective of this study is to assess the 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) of de-intensified post-operative chemoradiation in patients with HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer when basing treatment intensity on both standard pathologic features and post-operative Blood-based circulating tumor tissue modified viral (cTTMV-HPV DNA)

    Time frame: 2 Years

Secondary

  • Overall Survival (OS)

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Locoregional Control

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Distant Control

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Cause-Specific Survival

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Mean change in patient-reported outcomes using Patient-Reported Outcomes Version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE)

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Mean change in patient-reported outcomes using Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA-S)

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Mean change in patient-reported outcomes using European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30)

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Mean change in patient-reported outcomes using the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Mean change in patient-reported outcomes using University of Michigan Xerostomia-Related Quality of Life Scale (XeQoLS)

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Mean change in patient-reported outcomes using 5-level version of the EuroQol five dimensional instrument EQ-5D-5L

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Mean change in Dysphagia using MDADI

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • Mean change in Dysphagia using Modified Barium Swallow

    Time frame: 2 Years

  • 2-year Progression-Free Survival

    Time frame: 2 Years

Eligibility criteria

Sex: AllAge: 18 Years and olderHealthy volunteers: No
Inclusion Criteria: * AJCC 8th edition T0-3N0-2 p16-positive oropharyngeal (tonsil, base of tongue, glossotonsillar sulcus, soft palate, oropharyngeal wall) squamous cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary involving the cervical lymph nodes. Cytologic diagnosis from a cervical lymph node is sufficient for diagnosis in the presence of clinical evidence of a primary tumor in the oropharynx. * For patients with pT0 tumors (unknown primary), there must be at least one metastatic lymph node present in cervical level II. * p16 is strongly positive by immunohistochemistry or high-risk HPV is detected by in-situ hybridization. * Have undergone or will undergo gross total resection of all known disease in the head and neck via transoral robotic surgery. For patients with clinical unknown primary tumors, a patient must undergo both ipsilateral tonsillectomy and base of tongue resection unless the primary is identified clinically or pathologically at the time of surgery. If the primary is identified, then only resection of the primary site is required. If the primary tumor is resected with negative margins with a non-robotic surgery, such as a diagnostic tonsillectomy, this is considered acceptable and further robotic surgery is not necessary. * Have undergone or will undergo neck dissection. * Have at least one of the following after surgery: * Pathologic stage T3 * 2 or more positive lymph nodes * At least one lymph node \>3cm * Contralateral lymph node involvement * Lymphovascular invasion * Perineural invasion * Extranodal extension * Close/positive margins: Close margins are considered ≤3mm from the peripheral margins and ≤1mm from the deep margin on the en bloc specimen, unless the area of close margin is re-resected and without carcinoma. * Patients consented preoperatively are required to have detectable cTTMV-HPV DNA based on pre-operative NavDx testing. For patients consented post-operatively, NavDx testing should be performed on the tumor tissue to ensure detectable HPV DNA and for HPV subtyping. * Age ≥ 18 years old * ECOG performance status 0 or 2 within 56 days of start of chemoradiation. * Women of childbearing potential require a negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 28 days prior to start of chemoradiation. * Written informed consent obtained from subject and ability for subject to comply with the requirements of the study. * Adequate hematologic and renal function within 56 days of start of chemoradiation, defined as: * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL * Platelets ≥ 100, 000 cells/mm3 * ANC ≥ 1.5 X 109/L * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) * Aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ≤ 3.0 x upper limit of normal (ULN) * Serum creatinine ≤1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) OR a calculated creatinine clearance ≥50 mL/min estimated using the following Cockcroft-Gault equation Exclusion Criteria: * AJCC 8th edition pT4 or cN3 disease. * Radiologic or clinical evidence of distant metastasis. * Recurrent disease. * Inability to achieve gross total resection at time of surgery. * Greater than 56 days (8 weeks) after surgical resection of the primary site. * Prior radiation to the head and neck \> 30 Gy. * Prior active invasive (not in situ) malignancy within the prior 2 years, excluding cutaneous basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, low or intermediate risk prostate cancer, papillary thyroid cancer, stage T1aN0 kidney cancer, low-grade T1-2N0 salivary cancer, AJCC 8th edition stage I-II breast cancer, well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (e.g., carcinoid tumors), low grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or Stage 0, I, and III cutaneous melanomas. Patients with synchronous or multifocal oropharyngeal cancers are not excluded, as long as at least one of these tumors meet inclusion criteria for the trial. * Severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows: * Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months * Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months * Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of enrollment * Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or known coagulation defects * Moderate to severe hearing loss. * Active connective tissue disease (e.g. systemic lupus erythematous, scleroderma) requiring immunosuppression. * Pregnant or breast-feeding women. * Prior allergic reaction to cisplatin. * Live vaccines within 30 days prior to the first dose of chemoradiation. Examples of live vaccines include, but are not limited to, the following: measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, yellow fever, rabies, BCG, and typhoid (oral vaccine). Season influenza vaccines for injection are generally killed virus vaccines and are allowed; however intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g. Flu-Mist®) are live attenuated vaccines and are not allowed.

Study locations (4)

Cedars-Sinai Cancer at Beverly Hills (THO)

Beverly Hills, California, 90211

Recruiting
Clinical Trial Recruitment Navigator · Contact
Kevin Scher, MD · Sub Investigator
David Hoffman, MD · Sub Investigator
Kamalesh Sankhala, MD · Sub Investigator
Leland Green, MD · Sub Investigator
Jeremy Lorber, MD · Sub Investigator

Cedars Sinai Medical Center

Los Angeles, California, 90048

Recruiting
Zachary S Zumsteg, MD · Contact
Allen Ho, MD · Sub Investigator
Jon Mallen-St. Clair, MD · Sub Investigator
Evan Walgama, MD · Sub Investigator
Alain Mita, MD · Sub Investigator
Jun Gong, MD · Sub Investigator
Ronald Natale, MD · Sub Investigator
Stephen Shiao, MD · Sub Investigator
Julie Jang, MD · Sub Investigator
Zachary S Zumsteg, MD · Principal Investigator

CS Cancer at Valley Oncology Medical Group

Tarzana, California, 91356

Recruiting
Vanessa Vasco · Contact
Benjamin L King, MD · Sub Investigator
Robert S Reznik, MD · Sub Investigator
Natasha Banerjee, MD · Sub Investigator
Johnny K Chang, MD · Sub Investigator
Ryan Ponec, MD · Sub Investigator
Anirban Balmanoukian, MD · Sub Investigator

CS Cancer at the Hunt Cancer Center

Torrance, California, 90505

Recruiting
Hugo Hool, MD · Sub Investigator
Vanessa Dickey, MD · Sub Investigator
David Chan, MD · Sub Investigator
Syed Jilani, MD · Sub Investigator
Thomas Lowe, MD · Sub Investigator
Swati Sikaria, MD · Sub Investigator
Andrew Horodner, MD · Sub Investigator
Bryan Chang, MD · Sub Investigator
Thyra Endicott, MD · Sub Investigator
Andrew Schumacher, MD · Sub Investigator
Usama Mahmood, MD · Sub Investigator
Rebecca Philipson, MD · Sub Investigator