About this trial
The purpose of this study is to determine whether treatment of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in patients with undetectable postoperative HPV circulating tumor DNA (cfHPVDNA) with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) alone can result in cancer control and survival comparable to those previously reported with standard therapy. The protocol includes patients with only with low or intermediate pathologic risk factors following surgery with detectable pre-surgery cfHPVDNA and undetectable post-surgery cfHPVDNA.
The hope is that with this approach, the long-term complications from chemotherapy and radiation can be reduced.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed and identified resectable primary OPSCC with positive p16 immunohistochemistry, defined as strong and diffuse nuclear and cytoplasmic staining in > 70% of tumor cells. Immunohistochemistry must be performed or reviewed at the central laboratory. P16 status may be determined prior to consent and must be confirmed by surgical specimen if a biopsy is unavailable. HR-HPV status and postoperative cfHPVDNA testing must be performed and resulted prior to treatment assignment. Tissue from the primary site must be available for biomarker studies after surgery.
Patients enrolled in the trial must have pre-surgery baseline cfHPVDNA using the NavDX assay (Naveris, Cambridge, MA). Detectable baseline cfHPVDNA copy number is defined as ≥ 10 fragments/mL and is required for inclusion in the trial.
Undetectable cfHPVDNA after surgery. All patients should have a repeat cfHPVDNA test within 1 to 5 weeks post-operatively and prior to treatment assignment. Undetectable cfHPVDNA is defined as < 5 fragments/mL.
AJCC 7th edition early and intermediate stage (T1N0-2B, T2N0-2B) (non-matted) disease without evidence of distant metastases or gross extranodal extension.
Disqualifiers
Age < 18 years at screening
Pregnant or breast-feeding women.
Previous or current malignancies at other sites, except for adequately treated in situ carcinoma of the cervix, basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, thyroid cancer, prostate cancer treated with surgery/radiotherapy, ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast treated with surgery/radiotherapy, or other cancer curatively treated and with no current evidence of disease for at least 3 years.
Unstable cardiac disease despite treatment or myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to study entry.
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Robotic surgery