Recruiting

Phase 2

Surgery & CRTA Phase II Study for p16+ Oropharyngeal Cancer PerSonalized De-escalation Treatment at University of MIchigan (CuSToMIze)

Sponsor:

University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Code:

NCT05894083

Conditions

Oropharyngeal Cancer

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Surgery

Chemoradiation

Observation

Post-operative radiation

Study Details

Brief summary:

Single center, non-randomized Phase II study enrolling Stage I-II p16+ oropharyngeal cancer patients to one of two de-escalation treatment paradigms: (1) receive surgery followed by observation or risk-adjusted adjuvant radiation (+/-chemo), or (2) individualized adaptive definitive chemoradiation (CRT).

Conditions

Oropharyngeal Cancer

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx

Study ID

NCT05894083

Start date

Apr 27, 2023

Status verified date

Jan, 2026

Completion date

Dec, 2030

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients must have FDG-avid (maximum SUV ≥ 4.0) (from PET scan of any date, any scanner) and histologically or cytologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (tonsil, base of tongue, oropharyngeal wall, soft palate) or unknown primary that is p16 positive by immunohistochemistry or HPV positive by in situ hybridization
Clinical stage: Stage I-II AJCC 8th edition staging
Appropriate stage for protocol entry, including no distant metastases, based upon the following minimum diagnostic workup:

History/physical examination, including documentation of weight within 4 weeks prior to registration;
For Cohort B, FDG-PET/CT scan for staging within 6 weeks prior to registration. For Cohort A, acceptable imaging for staging can include diagnostic CT neck/chest or PET-CT within 6 weeks prior to registration
Zubrod Performance Status 0-1 within 4 weeks prior to registration;
Age ≥ 18;
Able to tolerate PET/CT imaging required to be performed
For Cohort A, tumors must be potentially surgically resectable via a transoral approach, at the discretion of the treating surgeon. Additionally, they must have 0-2 clinically positive LNs on diagnostic CT or PET-CT according clinical consensus of the treatment team
For both cohorts, CBC required within 4 weeks prior to registration. For Cohort B, CBC/differential obtained within 4 weeks prior to registration on study, with adequate bone marrow function defined as follows:

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500 cells/mm3;
Platelets ≥ 100,000 cells/mm3;
Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL
Serum creatinine within normal institutional limits or a creatinine clearance ≥ 45 ml/min within 4 weeks prior to registration.
Women of childbearing potential and male participants must agree to use a medically effective means of birth control throughout their participation in the treatment phase of the study.
The patient must provide study-specific informed consent prior to study entry.

Exclusion Criteria:

cT4, cN3, or cM1 disease (also explained as AJCC 8th edition clinical staging,)
Patients with radiographic ECE or matted lymph nodes, defined as three nodes abutting one another with loss of intervening fat plane that is a replaced with radiologic evidence of extracapsular spread.
Prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) unless disease free for a minimum of 3 years (For example, carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity, or cervix are all permissible);
Any prior therapy for the study cancer; note that prior chemotherapy for a different cancer is allowable if >3 years prior to study;
Prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap of radiation therapy fields;
Prior allergic reaction or hypersensitivity reactions to paclitaxel, carboplatin or other platinum containing products. This also includes patients with a history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to products containing Cremophor EL.
Severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows:
Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months;

Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 3 months;
Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration;
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy at the time of registration;
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) based upon current CDC definition. Note, however, that HIV testing is not required for entry into this protocol. The need to exclude patients with AIDS from this protocol is necessary because the treatments involved in this protocol may be significantly immunosuppressive.
Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects; note, however, that laboratory tests for liver function and coagulation parameters are not required for entry into this protocol.
Severe bone marrow depression or significant bleeding
Pregnancy or women of childbearing potential and men who are sexually active and not willing/able to use medically acceptable forms of contraception; this exclusion is necessary because the treatment involved in this study may be significantly teratogenic.
For Cohort B, poorly controlled diabetes (defined as fasting glucose level > 200 mg/dL) despite 2 attempts to improve glucose control by fasting duration and adjustment of medications. Patients with diabetes will preferably be scheduled in the morning and instructions for fasting and use of medications will be provided in consultation with the patients' primary physicians.
Active enrollment on another clinical trial involving active treatment for the study cancer.

Study Design

Enrollment

150 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Non randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

active comparator: Surgery

Surgery followed by risk-adjusted adjuvant treatment (observation, radiation, or chemoradiation).

experimental: Definitive CRT

Risk-adjusted definitive chemoradiation.

Interventions

Surgery

Cohort A will undergo initial surgical resection of the primary and neck dissection with pathologic features directing predetermined adjuvant treatment. Pathology of the primary and nodal specimens will then be reviewed as to determine the next intervention per protocol. Based on operative findings including degree of nodal involvement, extracapsular spread, perineural invasion, and lymphovascular involvement, patients will be designated to adjuvant treatment arms consisting of observation, adjuvant radiation, or adjuvant chemoradiation.

Chemoradiation

Patients will receive an initial plan with a single prescription of 30 Gy in 15 fractions to PTV\_High and PTV\_Low with RT given once daily, 5 days a week (Monday through Friday). After analysis of mid-treatment PET/CT, the remaining radiation treatment will be delivered as a conedown to the gross disease only. Patients will be planned to receive a total dose of 70 Gy, 54 Gy, or 44 Gy to PTV\_High in 2 Gy per fraction.

Observation

Post-operative radiation

Patients will receive adjuvant radiation based on pathologic features.Total radiation treatment doses and prescriptions will include 36 Gy in 18 fractions, 50 Gy in 25 fractions and 60 Gy in 30 fractions.

Primary outcome measure

Loco-regional recurrence free survival (LR-RFS) rate [ Time Frame: 2 years ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Locations

University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Recruiting

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109

Contacts

Cancer AnswerLine

800-865-1125 CancerAnswerLine@med.umich.edu

Principal Investigator:

Michelle Mierzwa, MD

More Information

Sponsor

University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Last update posted

Feb 2, 2026

Last verified

Jan, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center on 2026-02-02.