Recruiting
Phase 2

Radiotherapy De-intensification

Sponsor:

University of Virginia

Code:

NCT05962242

Conditions

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Radiation Therapy

Study Details

Brief summary:

The study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a lower than standard dose of radiation for definitive or adjuvant treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Conditions

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx

Study ID

NCT05962242

Start date

Jun 28, 2024

Status verified date

Feb, 2026

Completion date

Nov 1, 2029

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Nov 1, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
3. Male or female, ≥ 18 years of age
4. Pathologically proven diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx of any AJCC 8th edition stage.
5. Eligible for and planning to receive definitive treatment or adjuvant treatment with radiotherapy.
6. Participants who are receiving concurrent systemic anticancer therapy (e.g. chemotherapy or immunotherapy) for oropharyngeal cancer are eligible.

1. For participants with T1-2 and N0 disease, chemotherapy is not required for eligibility. Participants may or may not receive chemotherapy per physician discretion.
2. For participants with T3-4 and/or N+ disease, chemotherapy is required for eligibility.
7. Participants may receive investigational agents with prior approval from the Principal Investigator.
8. ECOG Performance Status of 0-2.
9. p16 positive HPV as determined by NavDx and immunohistochemistry
10. For females of reproductive potential: agreement to use adequate contraception during radiation treatment and for 6 months (or more if applicable based on other medications) after the end of radiation treatment.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Evidence of distant metastatic disease
2. Prior history of radiotherapy to the head and/or neck
3. Had surgery for oropharyngeal cancer within 8 months of enrollment unless it was an incomplete oncologic surgery. Participant is eligible if the gross tumor was not completely removed.
4. Diagnosis of T3-4 and/or N+ disease with no plans to receive concurrent chemotherapy.
5. Diagnosis of a current or prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanoma skin cancer) unless the participant has been disease free for at least 3 years.
6. Participant is a prisoner
7. Known contraindications to head and neck radiation therapy such as ataxia telangiectasia or scleroderma.
8. Pregnancy or lactation
9. Active or severe co-morbidities as defined by the following:

1. Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization up to 180 days before registration
2. Transmural myocardial infarction up to 180 days before registration
3. Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration
4. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy at the time of registration
5. Hepatic insufficiency as determined by the treating clinician resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation effects or severe liver dysfunction.
6. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) based upon current CDC definition. The need to exclude patients with AIDS from this protocol is necessary because the treatments involved in this protocol may be slightly immunosuppressive. Protocol-specific requirements may also exclude immuno-compromised patients.
10. Tobacco smoking history of 10 pack years or greater, or ≥ 20 pack years if smoking cessation occurred at least 1 year prior to enrollment
11. Current use of antineoplastic drugs for other malignancies.

Study Design

Enrollment

90 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Non randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Reduce Dose without Concurrent Chemotherapy Non- Rapid Responder

A reduced dose regimen of 24 Gy in 12 fractions to gross disease and intermediate nodes. Then 36 Gy in 18 fractions to entire volume. Non-responders will receive an additional boost of 10 Gy in 5 fractions to entire volume.

experimental: Reduce Dose with Concurrent Chemotherapy Non-Rapid Responder

A reduced dose regimen of 24 Gy in 12 fractions to gross disease and intermediate nodes. Then 30 Gy in 15 fractions to entire volume. Non-responders will receive an additional boost of 10 Gy in 5 fractions to entire volume.

experimental: Reduce Dose without Concurrent Chemotherapy Rapid Responder

A reduced dose regimen of 24 Gy in 12 fractions to gross disease and intermediate nodes. Then 36 Gy in 18 fractions to entire volume.

experimental: Reduce Dose with Concurrent Chemotherapy Rapid Responder

A reduced dose regimen of 24 Gy in 12 fractions to gross disease and intermediate nodes. Then 30 Gy in 15 fractions to entire volume.

Interventions

Radiation Therapy

External Beam Radiation to Head and Neck

Primary outcome measure

  • To assess the disease control of participants who receive dose and volume-de-escalated radiotherapy to the neck, guided by treatment response through circulating tumor-modified HPV DNA testing [ Time Frame: up to 2 years after radiotherapy ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Locations

Miami Cancer Institute

Recruiting

Miami, Florida, United States, 33176

Contacts

Principal Investigator:

Noah Kalman, MD

University of Virginia

Recruiting

Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, 22908

Contacts

Principal Investigator:

Chris McLaughlin, M.D.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Recruiting

Richmond, Virginia, United States, 23284

Contacts

Shiyu Song, M.D.

masseyhn@vcu.edu

More Information

Sponsor

University of Virginia

Last update posted

Feb 5, 2026

Last verified

Feb, 2026

Keywords

  • Radiation Therapy
  • Radiotherapy
  • Head Cancer
  • Neck Cancer
  • Low Dose Radiation
  • HPV

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 Virginia on 2026-02-05.