Radiation Therapy With Cisplatin or Cetuximab in Treating Patients With Oropharyngeal Cancer

Summary

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. 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. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. It is not yet known whether radiation therapy is more effective with cisplatin or cetuximab in treating oropharyngeal cancer. PURPOSE: This phase III trial is studying radiation therapy with cisplatin or cetuximab to see how well it works in treating patients with oropharyngeal cancer.

Timeline

Start

2011-06

Primary completion

2018-07-12

Completion

2025-09-04

Publications

• Results Gillison ML, Trotti AM, Harris J, Eisbruch A, Harari PM, Adelstein DJ, Jordan RCK, Zhao W, Sturgis EM, Burtness B, Ridge JA, Ringash J, Galvin J, Yao M, Koyfman SA, Blakaj DM, Razaq MA, Colevas AD, Beitler JJ, Jones CU, Dunlap NE, Seaward SA, Spencer S, Galloway TJ, Phan J, Dignam JJ, Le QT. Radiotherapy plus cetuximab or cisplatin in human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal cancer (NRG Oncology RTOG 1016): a randomised, multicentre, non-inferiority trial. Lancet. 2019 Jan 5;393(10166):40-50. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32779-X. Epub 2018 Nov 15.
• Gharzai LA, Morris E, Schipper MJ, Kidwell KM, Nguyen-Tan PF, Rosenthal DI, Gillison ML, Jordan RC, Garden AS, Koyfman SA, Caudell JJ, Blakaj DM, Dunlap NE, Krempl GA, Longo JM, Jones CU, Gensheimer MF, Galloway TJ, DeMora L, Le QT, Shah JL, Suresh K, Mierzwa M. Treatment Interruption and Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer: A Secondary Analysis of 3 Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2026 Feb 1;152(2):144-153. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2025.4203.
• Quan DL, Grauer JS, Sunkara PR, Cramer JD. Surgical salvage of human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal cancer: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Cancer. 2023 Feb 1;129(3):376-384. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34562. Epub 2022 Nov 19.
• Psyrri A, Rampias T, Vermorken JB. The current and future impact of human papillomavirus on treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Ann Oncol. 2014 Nov;25(11):2101-2115. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdu265. Epub 2014 Jul 23.

Drugs

Indications