Radiation Therapy with Durvalumab or Cetuximab in Treating Patients with Locoregionally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Who Cannot Take Cisplatin

Summary

Objectives

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To determine the safety of radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent and adjuvant anti-PD-L1 therapy (MEDI4736 [durvalumab]) is safe in patients with locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) who have a contraindication to cisplatin. (Lead-in)
II. To test the hypothesis that concurrent RT and anti-PD-L1 therapy improves progression free survival (PFS) compared to standard therapy (RT with concurrent cetuximab) in patients with locoregionally advanced HNC who have a contraindication to cisplatin. (Phase II)
III. To test the hypothesis that concurrent RT and anti-PD-L1 therapy improves overall survival compared to standard therapy (RT with concurrent cetuximab) in patients with locoregionally advanced HNC who have a contraindication to cisplatin. (Phase III)

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To compare toxicity using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) and Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO)-CTCAE between patients treated with RT + anti-PD-L1 therapy versus RT/cetuximab.
II. To test the effect of anti-PD-L1 therapy in the subpopulation of patients with tumors that overexpress PD-L1.
III. To compare overall survival, response (at 4-month fludeoxyglucose F-18 [FDG]-positron emission tomography [PET]-computed tomography [CT]), locoregional failure, distant metastasis, and competing mortality in the two arms by known risk factors, including p16 status and omega score.
IV. To test the hypothesis that MEDI4736 (durvalumab) therapy arm will have less decline in the physical function domain of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0) based on the change in score from baseline to 12 months from end of RT, compared to the cetuximab-RT arm in patients with locoregionally advanced HNC who have a contraindication to cisplatin.
V. To test the hypothesis that MEDI4736 (durvalumab) therapy arm at 1 year (from end of RT) will have less decline in swallowing related quality of life (QOL) using the M. D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) total composite score, based on the change in score from baseline to 12 months from end of RT, compared to the cetuximab-RT arm in patients who are medically unfit for cisplatin.
VI. To compare swallowing related performance and function short and long term using the Performance Status Scale for Head & Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HN).
VII. To evaluate gastrostomy tube retention rates between arms.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:
I. To test the hypothesis that radiation combined with MEDI4736 (durvalumab) enhances the adaptive immune response using three types of immunophenotyping compared to radiation combined with cetuximab.
II. To compare overall QOL short term (end RT-8 months) and long term (12-24 months from end of RT) between arms using the EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0/HN35.
III. To evaluate swallowing related QOL short term (end RT-8 months) and long term (12-24 months from end of RT) using the EORTC Head and Neck (HN)35 swallowing domain and MDADI (subscales) between arms in patients with locoregionally advanced HNC who have a contraindication to cisplatin.
IV. To evaluate patient reported fatigue using the fatigue items in the EORTC QLQ and PRO-CTCAE.
V. To compare clinician and patient reported toxicity using CTCAE and PRO CTCAE.
VI. To explore health utilities between cetuximab and MEDI4736 (durvalumab) RT using the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensional-5 Level (EQ5D-5L).

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

ARM I: Patients receive cetuximab intravenously (IV) weekly over 60-120 minutes. Treatment repeats every week for up to 8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Beginning 5-7 days after first cetuximab dose, patients undergo intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) 5 fractions per week for up to 7 weeks.

ARM II: Patients receive durvalumab IV over 60 minutes every 4 weeks. Treatment repeats every 4 weeks for up to 7 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Beginning week 2, patients undergo IMRT 5 fractions per week for up to 7 weeks.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 1 month, every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 2 years, then annually thereafter.