Clinical Trials

This randomized clinical trial studies the intensity of adjuvant ("helper") therapy required in p16 positive oropharynx cancer patients, who have had all known disease removed surgically by a minimally invasive approach, and who have extracapsular spread in their lymph nodes. After the surgery, patients are randomized to receive either radiation alone, or radiation and weekly cis-platinum during therapy. Patients are then followed for cancer, functional and quality of life outcomes.

This randomized phase II trial studies how well transoral surgery followed by low-dose or standard-dose radiation therapy works in treating patients with human papilloma virus (HPV) positive stage III-IVA oropharyngeal cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving radiation therapy with chemotherapy may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. It is not yet known how much extra treatment needs to be given after surgery.

This study is designed to investigate if transoral surgery with the patient in the seated position utilizing the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) will enable better visualization and expedited removal of benign and malignant tumors of the throat.

The purpose of this study is to identify a biomarker (or biomarkers) that is present when disease is present (i.e., at diagnosis or recurrence) and not present when disease is absent (i.e., after treatment, in HPV negative patients or in normal controls).

The purpose of this proposed study is to obtain safety and efficacy data on human laryngeal allograft transplantation in an effort to safely use these procedures as a viable reconstructive option for patients with severe laryngeal or laryngotracheal incompetence.

The overall goal of this trial is to identify a less toxic approach to the delivery of conformal radiation therapy for patients with cancers of the oropharynx.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes of lower intensity (mucosal tissue sparing) proton beam therapy after the surgical removal of oropharyngeal tumors in cancer patients who have a favorable level of risk.

This study is designed for patients with a cancer of the oropharynx (tonsils or base of tongue) caused by the HPV virus. Traditional treatment involves surgery followed by six weeks of daily radiation therapy. This study investigates a less intense radiation treatment following surgery that uses half the dose of radiation given over two weeks rather than six weeks. Patients will be randomly assigned to receive the less intense treatment versus the traditional treatment by coin flip. Patients are twice as likely to receive the less intense treatment during randomization.

The purpose of this study is to develop a screening method to provide early detection of HPV-associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC).

This phase II trial studies how well radiation therapy and docetaxel work in treating patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as docetaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving radiation therapy with docetaxel my kill more tumor cells.

We are doing this research study to find out if partners of subjects with oropharyngeal cancer are infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) in their mouth or throat. Human papillomavirus causes some types of oropharyngeal cancer. It is not known if sexual partners of patients are at higher risk of having oral or throat HPV infection. It is also unknown if certain sexual behaviors increase the risk of oral HPV infection

This randomized phase II trial studies radiation therapy and cisplatin with or without surgery in treating patients with stage III-IV oropharyngeal cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether radiation therapy and cisplatin are more effective with or without surgery in treating patients with oropharyngeal cancer.

The goal of this research study is to evaluate the impact of surgical interventions on circulating biomarker dynamics and establish their prognostic role in carcinoma of the head and neck treated with intended curative surgery.

The primary goal of this study is to prospectively incorporate ctHPVDNA in combination with clinical and pathologic factors to appropriately select patients for treatment intensity. 

There are two study questions we are asking in this randomized phase II/III trial based on a blood biomarker, Epstein Barr virus (EBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for locoregionally advanced non-metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. All patients will first undergo standard concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy. When this standard treatment is completed, if there is no detectable EBV DNA in their plasma, then patients are randomized to either standard adjuvant cisplatin and fluorouracil chemotherapy or observation. If there is still detectable levels of plasma EBV DNA, patients will be randomized to standard cisplatin and fluorouracil chemotherapy versus gemcitabine and paclitaxel. Radiation therapy uses ...

The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence of anogenital infection with high-risk HPV serotypes and HPV-associated anogenital lesions in female patients with newly diagnosed HPV(+)OPSCC and female partners of patients with HPV(+)OPSCC, and compare this with retrospective review of exams and paps obtained during routine well woman checks in Rochester MN.  

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the combination of retifanlimab plus INCAGN02385 and retifanlimab plus INCAGN02385 and INCAGN02390 compared with retifanlimab alone as first-line treatment in PD-L1-positive and systemic therapy-naive recurrent/metastatic (R/M) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

This phase II trial studies how well nivolumab works in treating patients with nasopharyngeal cancer that has returned after a period of improvement (recurrent) and/or has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). Monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, may block tumor growth in different ways by targeting certain cells.

This study aims to assess the utility of pharyngeal manometry measures as a novel approach in quantifying  internal lymphedema and compare success rates in reducing internal lymphedema using manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) versus use of a pneumatic compression device (PCD). It also aims to assess efficacy of PCD and MLD and assess compliance of treatment in both groups. Lastly, it aims to identify voice and swallowing changes in both groups.

The purpose of the investigation is to learn whether intense swallowing exercise or intense swallowing exercise coupled with electrical stimulation (E-Stim) helps patients who had head/neck cancer and currently have dysphagia swallow better.

This study observes the clinical efficacy of combining proton SBRT with PD-1 blockade immunotherapy in both the locoregionally recurrent and metastatic settings.

The purpose of this study is to characterize the safety and tolerability of single agent HFB301001 and to determine recommended dose expansino (RDE(s) and a recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D).

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the safety and tolerability of JAB-3312 in combination with anti-PD-1 mAb or MEKi or KRASi or EGFR-TKI in patients with advanced solid tumors.

The purpose of this study is to test the safety and tolerability of HFB200301 in patients with advanced cancers. There are two parts in this study. During the escalation part, groups of participants will receive increasing doses until a safe and tolerable dose of HFB200301 is determined. During the expansion part, participants will take the dose of study drug that was determined from the escalation part of the study and will be assigned to a group based on the type of cancer the participants have.

This randomized phase II trial studies how well cetuximab with or without tivantinib works in treating patients with head and neck cancer that is recurrent, metastatic, or cannot be removed by surgery. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can interfere with tumor growth by blocking the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Tivantinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It is not yet known whether cetuximab is more effective with or without tivantinib in treating patients with head and neck cancer.