Rapamycin Therapy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Summary

Background: \- Advanced-stage head and neck cancer (head and neck squamous cell carcinoma \[HNSCC\]) has moderately successful treatment outcomes, usually involving surgery as part of the standard treatment. Researchers are investigating the use of the drug rapamycin to prevent tumor growth in HNSCC, and are interested in using it to treat individuals with HNSCC that has not been treated previously with other drugs, radiation, or surgery. Objectives: \- To evaluate the usefulness of rapamycin in decreasing tumor size prior to surgery for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Eligibility: \- Individuals at least 18 years of age who have been diagnosed with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has not yet been treated. Design: * Participants will be screened with a physical examination, medical history, blood tests, and imaging studies. * Approximately 1 month before scheduled surgery, participants will begin to receive rapamycin. Participants will take rapamycin once daily for 21 days, followed by a 7-day period without the drug. * During the 21-day rapamycin treatment, participants will have weekly study visits to provide blood and urine samples and have possible tumor biopsies and imaging studies such as x-rays or tumor photographs. Participants will have additional study visits for tests 1 day and 1 week after the end of rapamycin treatment, followed by HNSCC surgery. * Participants will have a final visit to provide blood samples 30 days after surgery. * Participants medical records will be reviewed 1 year after surgery; however, participants will not need to have further study visits at this time.

Timeline

Start

2010-08

Primary completion

2015-06

Completion

2015-12

Publications

• Background Jemal A, Siegel R, Ward E, Hao Y, Xu J, Murray T, Thun MJ. Cancer statistics, 2008. CA Cancer J Clin. 2008 Mar-Apr;58(2):71-96. doi: 10.3322/CA.2007.0010. Epub 2008 Feb 20.
• Background Forastiere A, Koch W, Trotti A, Sidransky D. Head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med. 2001 Dec 27;345(26):1890-900. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra001375. No abstract available.
• Background Agulnik M, da Cunha Santos G, Hedley D, Nicklee T, Dos Reis PP, Ho J, Pond GR, Chen H, Chen S, Shyr Y, Winquist E, Soulieres D, Chen EX, Squire JA, Marrano P, Kamel-Reid S, Dancey J, Siu LL, Tsao MS. Predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarker studies in tumor and skin tissue samples of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with erlotinib. J Clin Oncol. 2007 Jun 1;25(16):2184-90. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2006.07.6554.

Drugs

Indications