Use of Pharmacogenetics to Select Erbitux or Cisplatin to Treat Head and Neck Cancer
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2013-06-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This study is for patients with newly diagnosed head and neck cancer that cannot be removed
by surgery.
The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of using genetic variations in
patients to select the right drug to treat head and neck cancer. Cisplatin and cetuximab
(Erbitux)are both approved by the FDA to treat head and neck cancer in combination with
radiation therapy. In this study the investigators will test whether genetic differences
between patients can be used to pick which of these two drugs a patient should receive. All
patients will have a blood sample drawn that will be tested for genetic differences. If
patients have genetic differences that correlate with a better outcome from cisplatin they
will receive cisplatin with radiation. If patients have genetic differences that do not
correlate with a better outcome from cisplatin they will receive cetuximab with their
radiation therapy.