NCT00008398

Sargramostim in Decreasing Mucositis in Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer

Official Title:

A Phase III Study to Test the Efficacy and Safety of GM-CSF to Reduce the Severity and Duration of Mucosal Injury and Pain (Mucositis) Associated With Curative Radiation Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Summary

RATIONALE: Sargramostim may lessen symptoms of mucositis in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. It is not yet known if sargramostim is more effective than no treatment in reducing mucositis caused by radiation therapy.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of sargramostim in decreasing mucositis in patients who are receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.

Eligibility

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed head and neck carcinoma with planned external beam radiotherapy to include 50% of oropharynx, oral cavity, or both\]
* Planned external beam radiotherapy of 60-70 Gy total dose to the primary tumor or standard ports for an unknown primary tumor
* Neck metastases from an unknown primary allowed if radiotherapy planned to at least 50% of the salivary gland at a dose of at least 50 Gy
* No T1-T2 glottic tumors
* No residual oral/oropharyngeal injury from prior chemotherapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* Not specified

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Not specified

Hepatic:

* Not specified

Renal:

* Not specified

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No allergy or idiosyncratic response to sargramostim (GM-CSF)
* HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No concurrent chemotherapy other than cisplatin

Endocrine therapy:

* Not specified

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No prior radiotherapy to the head and neck

Surgery:

* Not specified

Other:

* No concurrent enrollment on other RTOG head and neck studies
* No concurrent oral care medications (e.g., amifostine, chlorhexidrine gluconate, sucralfate, or benzydamine HCl) during study radiotherapy
* No concurrent selective oral cavity decontamination (e.g., IB-367) during study radiotherapy

Disease(s) and\or Condition(s)

Head and Neck Cancer

Oral Complications

Radiation Toxicity

Primary Purpose
  • SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Intervention/Treatment
    • Type: BIOLOGICAL
    • Name: sargramostim
    • Description:
    • Arm Group Labels:
    • Type: PROCEDURE
    • Name: quality-of-life assessment
    • Description:
    • Arm Group Labels:
    • Type: RADIATION
    • Name: radiation therapy
    • Description:
    • Arm Group Labels:
Sponsor
  • Radiation Therapy Oncology Group