Decitabine in Combination With Standard of Care Therapy for the Treatment of Surgically Resectable HPV-Negative Head and Neck Cancer

NCT ID: NCT06997094

Last Updated: 2025-12-31

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE1

Total Enrollment

24 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-01-30

Study Completion Date

2027-11-08

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This phase I trial tests the safety, side effects, and best dose of decitabine in combination with standard of care surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy and the effectiveness of the combination in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell cancers that are not caused by human papilloma virus (HPV-negative) and that can be removed by surgery (resectable). Decitabine, an antimetabolite, stops cells from making deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill tumor cells. Studies have shown that medications like decitabine can make some types of solid tumors more sensitive to chemotherapy. This allows the chemotherapy to be more effective, with slower progression and longer survival. Decitabine is also a clinically active demethylating agent, and may help make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is a type of radiation that uses a machine to aim high-energy rays at the tumor from outside the body. Chemotherapy drugs work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving decitabine in combination with standard of care surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy may be safe, tolerable, and/or effective in treating patients with surgically resectable HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell cancers.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To prospectively evaluate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of decitabine, in both the preoperative and adjuvant phases of treatment, combined with standard-of-care therapy including surgery +/- chemoradiation for HPV-negative head and neck cancers.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Evaluation of acute (early onset) toxicities. (Stratified by methylation status) II. Evaluation of late onset toxicities. (Stratified by methylation status) III. Evaluation of event-free survival (EFS). (Stratified by methylation status) IV. Evaluation of overall survival (OS). (Stratified by methylation status) V. Evaluation of quality of life (QOL). (Stratified by methylation status)

CORRELATIVE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:

I. In vivo methylation response to preoperative decitabine. II. Pharmacokinetics of decitabine. III. Exploratory circulating biomarkers.

OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study followed by a dose-expansion study.

PREOPERATIVE PHASE: Patients receive decitabine intravenously (IV) over 1 hour once daily (QD) for 3 days and undergo standard of care surgery within 28 days of receiving decitabine.

ADJUVANT TREATMENT: Patients receive decitabine IV over 1 hour QD for 3 days every 3 weeks during radiation therapy in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo EBRT QD on 5 days per week for up to 5-35 treatments per standard of care. Patients may receive concurrent chemotherapy of choice per standard of care.

Patients also undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 30 days, every 4-6 months for 2 years and then every 12 months for up to 5 years.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Human Papillomavirus-Negative Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Resectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Resectable Human Papillomavirus-Independent Head and Neck Mucosal Squamous Cell Carcinoma HPV-Negative Squamous Cell Carcinoma Resectable Head and Neck Squamous-cell Carcinoma

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Treatment (decitabine, surgery, radiation)

PREOPERATIVE PHASE: Patients receive decitabine IV over 1 hour QD for 3 days and undergo standard of care surgery within 28 days of receiving decitabine.

ADJUVANT TREATMENT: Patients receive decitabine IV over 1 hour QD for 3 days every 3 weeks during radiation therapy in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo EBRT QD on 5 days per week for up to 5-35 treatments per standard of care. Patients may receive concurrent chemotherapy of choice per standard of care.

Patients also undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Biospecimen Collection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo blood sample collection

Chemotherapy

Intervention Type DRUG

Given concurrent chemotherapy

Decitabine

Intervention Type DRUG

Given IV

External Beam Radiation Therapy

Intervention Type RADIATION

Undergo EBRT

Questionnaire Administration

Intervention Type OTHER

Ancillary studies

Surgical Procedure

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Undergo standard of care surgery

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Biospecimen Collection

Undergo blood sample collection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Chemotherapy

Given concurrent chemotherapy

Intervention Type DRUG

Decitabine

Given IV

Intervention Type DRUG

External Beam Radiation Therapy

Undergo EBRT

Intervention Type RADIATION

Questionnaire Administration

Ancillary studies

Intervention Type OTHER

Surgical Procedure

Undergo standard of care surgery

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

Biological Sample Collection Biospecimen Collected Specimen Collection Chemo Chemotherapy (NOS) Chemotherapy, Cancer, General 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine Dacogen Decitabine for Injection Deoxyazacytidine Dezocitidine Definitive Radiation Therapy EBRT External Beam Radiation External Beam Radiotherapy External Beam Radiotherapy (conventional) External Beam RT external radiation External Radiation Therapy external-beam radiation Radiation, External Beam Teleradiotherapy Teletherapy Teletherapy Radiation Operation Surgery Surgery Type Surgery, NOS Surgical Surgical Intervention Surgical Interventions Surgical Procedures Type of Surgery

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* REGISTRATION: Age ≥ 18 years
* REGISTRATION: Histologic confirmation of HPV-negative, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck that is surgically resectable. HPV-status confirmation by p16, circulating tumor DNA or in-situ hybridization is only required for oropharyngeal primaries

* Includes mucosal and non-mucosal subsites
* Includes head and neck of unknown primary origin REGISTRATION: Measurable disease preoperatively, as defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 or equivalent criteria
* NOTE: Tumor lesions in a previously irradiated area are not considered measurable disease; disease that is measurable by physical examination only is not eligible
* REGISTRATION: Absence of distant metastases on standard diagnostic work-up ≤ 16 weeks prior to registration. (chest computed tomography \[CT\] or positron emission tomography \[PET\]/CT)
* REGISTRATION: Negative pregnancy test done ≤ 7 days prior to registration, for women of childbearing potential only

* NOTE: If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required
* REGISTRATION: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0 or 1
* REGISTRATION: Hemoglobin ≤ 9.0 g/dL (obtained ≤ 14 days prior to registration)
* REGISTRATION: Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1500/mm\^3 (obtained ≤ 14 days prior to registration)
* REGISTRATION: Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 (obtained ≤ 14 days prior to registration)
* REGISTRATION: Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) (obtained ≤ 14 days prior to registration)
* REGISTRATION: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) ≤ 3 x ULN (≤ 5 x ULN for patients with liver involvement) (obtained ≤ 14 days prior to registration)
* REGISTRATION: Prothrombin time (PT)/international normalized ratio (INR)/activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ≤ 1.5 x ULN (obtained ≤ 14 days prior to registration) OR if patient is receiving anticoagulant therapy and INR or aPTT is within target range of therapy
* REGISTRATION: Provide written informed consent
* REGISTRATION: Ability to complete questionnaire(s) by themselves or with assistance
* REGISTRATION: Willingness to provide mandatory blood specimens for correlative research
* REGISTRATION: Willingness to provide mandatory tissue specimens for correlative research
* REGISTRATION: Willing to return to enrolling institution for follow-up (during the active monitoring phase of the study)
* RE-REGISTRATION FOR ADJUVANT DOSE ASSIGNMENT: Patient received pre-operative decitabine dose
* RE-REGISTRATION FOR ADJUVANT DOSE ASSIGNMENT: The patient had study-specific surgery
* RE-REGISTRATION FOR ADJUVANT DOSE ASSIGNMENT: Patient meets adjuvant radiation criteria based on investigator choice

Exclusion Criteria

* REGISTRATION: Any of the following:

* Pregnant women
* Nursing women
* Men or women who are of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception
* REGISTRATION: Co-morbid systemic illnesses or other severe concurrent disease which, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study or interfere significantly with the proper assessment of safety and toxicity of the prescribed regimens
* REGISTRATION: Immunocompromised patients and patients known to be HIV positive and currently receiving antiretroviral therapy

* NOTE: Patients known to be HIV positive, but without clinical evidence of an immunocompromised state, are eligible for this trial
* REGISTRATION: Failure to recover from acute, reversible effects of prior therapy regardless of interval since last treatment

* EXCEPTION: Grade 1 peripheral (sensory) neuropathy that has been stable for at least 3 months since completion of prior treatment
* REGISTRATION: Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to:

* Ongoing or active infection
* Symptomatic congestive heart failure
* Unstable angina pectoris
* Cardiac arrhythmia
* Or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
* Dyspnea at rest due to complications of advanced malignancy or other disease that requires continuous oxygen therapy
* REGISTRATION: Receiving any other investigational agent which would be considered as a treatment for the primary neoplasm
* REGISTRATION: Other active malignancy ≤ 5 years prior to registration

* EXCEPTIONS: Non-melanotic skin cancer or carcinoma-in-situ of the cervix
* NOTE: If there is a history of prior malignancy, they must not be receiving other specific treatment for their cancer
* REGISTRATION: History of myocardial infarction ≤ 6 months, or congestive heart failure requiring use of ongoing maintenance therapy for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias
* REGISTRATION: Prior history of radiation therapy to the affected site
* REGISTRATION: Prior systemic chemotherapy ≤ 5 years prior to registration for other diagnosis not related to study disease
* REGISTRATION: Contraindication to radiation therapy as determined by the treating team
* REGISTRATION: Contraindication to decitabine as determined by the treating team
* RE-REGISTRATION FOR ADJUVANT DOSE ASSIGNMENT: Experienced a dose limiting toxicity (DLT) during pre-operative decitabine therapy
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Mayo Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Adam L. Holtzman, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Mayo Clinic

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Mayo Clinic in Florida

Jacksonville, Florida, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Clinical Trials Referral Office

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 855-776-0015

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Clinical Trials Referral Office

Role: primary

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

NCI-2025-03537

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

24-012507

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

MC240706

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

MC240706

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id