Interleukin-2 Gene or Methotrexate in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Refractory Stage III or Stage IV Head and Neck Cancer

Summary

RATIONALE: Inserting the gene for interleukin-2 into head and neck cancer cells may make the body build an immune response to kill the tumor cells. 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 the interleukin-2 gene is more effective than methotrexate for advanced head and neck cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of the interleukin-2 gene with that of methotrexate in treating patients who have recurrent or refractory stage III or stage IV head and neck cancer.

Timeline

Start

2000-06

Primary completion

—

Completion

2004-06

Drugs

Indications