RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Giving cetuximab with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. Giving cetuximab after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving cetuximab together with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy works in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for stage III or stage IV head and neck cancer.
Name: Cetuximab
Name: Carboplatin
Name: Paclitaxel
Name: Radiation therapy
Description: Event-free survival rate at 1 year was defined as the proportion of patients who did not have disease progression, primary site surgery, or death after being followed for 1 year.
Measure: Event-free Survival Rate at 1 Year Time: Assessed at 1 year.Description: Per RECIST criteria, Complete response (CR)= disappearance of all target and nontarget lesions Partial response (PR)= >=30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions from baseline, and persistence of one or more non-target lesion(s) and/or the maintenance of tumor marker level above the normal limits. Objective response = CR + PR.
Measure: Proportion of Patients With Objective Response by RECIST Time: Assessed at weeks 7, 14, 18, 20, and then every every 3 months if patient is < 2 years from study entry and every 6 months if patient is 2-5 years from study entryDescription: Progression-free survival was defined as the time from registration to documented progression or death without progression. Progression is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the smallest sum longest diameter recorded since the baseline measurements, or the appearance of one or more new lesion(s) or unequivocal progression of existing nontarget lesions.
Measure: Progression-free Survival Time: Assessed at weeks 7, 14, 18, 20, and then every every 3 months if patient is < 2 years from study entry and every 6 months if patient is 2-5 years from study entryDescription: Overall survival is defined as the time from registration to death of any causes.
Measure: Overall Survival Time: Weekly during treatment, and then every every 3 months if patient is < 2 years from study entry and every 6 months if patient is 2-5 years from study entryAllocation: N/A
Single Group Assignment
There is one SNP
- Determine the effect of this treatment regimen on selective biologic pathways, total and phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor, ERK/MAPK, and P13K/AKT in these patients. --- P13K ---