Radiation Therapy Plus Fludarabine in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Cancer of the Mouth, Pharynx, or Larynx

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2002-12-02
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of radiation therapy plus fludarabine in treating patients who have locally advanced cancer of the mouth, pharynx, or larynx.

• Phase: Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
• Collaborator: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Treatments: Fludarabine; Fludarabine phosphate; Vidarabine

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, pharynx, or larynx for which surgery would result in significant functional impairment Stage III or IV (T3-4 or N2-3) No distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Zubrod 0-2 Life expectancy:

At least 6 months Hematopoietic: Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 150,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL SGOT less than 4 times upper limit of normal PT/PTT normal Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Other: Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception No other concurrent acute illness or infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics