Re-irradiation of recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) after HBO sensitization

 

Writing committee:

 

1. PD Dr. K.A. Hartmann, PD Dr. U.M. Carl, Dr. S. Lentrodt, Prof. Dr. G. Schmitt

2. Dr. K.A. Becker, Prof.Dr. J. Dunst

 

1.       Dept. Radiation Oncology, University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany, Tel: 0211-811-7990, FAX: 0211-811-8051

2.       Dept. Radiation Oncology, Martin-Luther-University, Dryanderstr. 4-7, 061110 Halle, Germany, Tel.: 0345-5774319, FAX: -557-4333

 

 

This protocol has been adopted by the Working Group Oncology of COST action B14.

 

                                               

“This protocol has been considered in detail, and accepted by COSTB14. This is a multi-national group of experts in the field of Hyperbaric Medicine, appointed nationally in each individual case, and organised and supported by the European Commission. Thus, the work described has been subjected to extensive peer review and amendment, and may be regarded as consitent with best practice in the field of Hyperbaric Medicine”

 

 

COST B14 Working Group Oncology:

 

DENMARK                                                                 JANSEN Erik C

GERMANY                                                                 CARL Ulrich M

POLAND                                                                     SICKO Zdzislaw

PORTUGAL                                                                SIMAO Antonio

SWEDEN                                                                     GRANSTRÖM Gösta

SWITZERLAND                                                          SCHMUTZ Jorg

THE NETHERLANDS                                                 VAN DER KLEIJ Ad J

                                                                                    SMINIA Peter

UNITED KINGDOM                                                   HAMILTON-FARRELL Martin H

 

0. Background

 

It is generally accepted that hypoxic clonogenic tumour cells are an important factor of radioresistance. The assumption that hypoxic clonogenic tumours cells are an important factor of radioresitance in solid human tumours is based on oxygen measurements and clinical studies with various hypoxic modifiers. There is clear evidence that the oxygenation status as evaluated by computerized polarographic needle measurements is a predictor of radiation-tumour response in cancer of the head and neck [i] [ii] [iii] uterine cervix[iv] and other tumour sites [v]. It was shown that hyperbaric oxygenation improves the oxygenation status both in experimental tumours [vi] [vii] [viii] and human tumours in situ [ix].

 

Further evidence comes from a meta-analysis published by Overgaard and Horsman which comprises 83 randomized clinical studies with various hypoxic modifiers such as chemical radiosensitizers, hyperbaric oxygen, normobaric carbogen breathing, artificial oxygen carriers and blood transfusions. The most widely used treatment modality were chemical sensitizers (52 trials) followed by hyperbaric oxygen (28 trials). The modification of tumour hypoxia improved local tumour control and overall survival by 4.7% and 2.7%, respectively (p=0.00004 and 0.004). The largest benefit was demonstrated for tumours of the head and neck region. When the chemical sensitizer and hyperbaric oxygen trials were separately analyzed HBO was still significantly superior to treatment under normobaric air breathing conditions. One of the conclusions from this meta-analysis was that hyperbaric oxygen might have been given up prematurely. Due to the positive meta-analysis HBO has regained interest both by preclinical and clinical investigators[x][xi]. One center in the U.S. with a profound expertise in hyperbaric oxygenation is preparing remote afterloading treatments in combination with HBO[xii] [xiii].

 

Recurrent head and neck tumours after radio-(chemotherapy)-therapy pose a therapeutic problem. When the recurrent tumour is unresectable the prognosis for this group is patients is very poor. Depending on the performance status, the preceding radiation dose, tumour localisation and tumour extent, treatment options are “best supportive care” or re-irradiation in combination with chemotherapy and/or hyperthermia. At the present time no standard treatment exists for this group of patients. Polarographic oxygen measurements in SCCHN have demonstrated that oxygen tension is one predictive factor for the outcome of radio-(chemotherapy)-therapy and it can therefore be assumed that recurrencies represent the “hypoxic variants”. For that reason this subgroup was chosen for the modulation of tumour hypoxia with hyperbaric oxygen.


 

1. Objective

 

The objective of this study is to evaluate whether HBO enhances tumour radiosensitivity in recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancers using a conventionally fractionated treatment schedule.

 

2. Study population

 

Eligibility criteria

The following criteria must be fulfilled:

1.       Histologically proven recurrent SCC of the head and neck region

2.       Age > 18 years

3.       Preceding radiotherapy > 6 months

4.       Unresectable disease

5.       WHO-index <3

6.       No distant metastases

 

Ineligibility criteria

The following criteria exclude a patient from the study:

1.       Severe complication from the first course of radiotherapy (e.g. osteoradionecrosis)

2.       Contraindications for hyperbaric oxygenation (see appendix)

3.       Serious medical risk factors involving any of the major organ systems may prevent adherence to the treatment schedule

 

Sample size assumptions and estimates

 

This investigation is intended as phase I/II trial. After 20 patients it will be decided whether it is worthwhile to run a randomized study.

 

4. Enrolment of participants

 

Pretreatment evaluation

NMR/CT of the head and neck

Clinical examination by a head and neck surgeon

Clinical examination by a specialist in hyperbaric medicine

Blood count and blood chemistry

 

5. Randomisation

 

At this very early stage no randomisation procedure is intended.

 


6. Intervention

 

Radiation treatment planning

Treatment planning is based on NMR and/or CT-scans. Treatment portals encompass the primary recurrrent tumour and nodal disease with a safety margin of 1-2cm. The guideline is to reduce the volume of normal tissues to a minimum. This can be achieved by conformal radiotherapy techniques, 3D-treatment planning and the application of brachytherapy for a part of the treatment. Maximum doses to critical organs such as spinal cord and lens is based on individual decisions weighing the risk of local tumour growth against the risk of radiation damage. To estimate the risk of late normal tissue damage the LQ model is used. Radiobiologic investigations revealed that there is long term recovery from radiotherapy with an increased re-treatment tolerance in some tissues [xiv]. This is especially true for the spinal cord [xv]. It seems therefore to be justified to re-irradiate the spinal cord above 50Gy when this is urgently needed.

 

Safety guidelines according hyperbaric medicine practice have to be fulfilled. The number of HBO sessions is dependent on patients tolerance and acute normal tissue reactions. The aim is to give HBO with each radiation fraction.

 

The total dose of re-irradiation is determined by the preceding radiation schedule. It is common practice to go up to cumulative doses of approximately 100-120Gy with fraction doses in the range of 1.8-2.0Gy. The intention is to keep to this schedule and add hyperbaric oxygen. Assuming an oxygen-enhancement ratio of 1.5, re-treatment doses of 40-50Gy are likely to be curative. The pilot study is performed with conventionally fractionated radiotherapy with fraction sizes of 1.8-2.0Gy given five times per week.

 

All irradiation fractions should be preceeded by HBO treatment, 2.5 ATA (2.4-2.6) for 60 minutes without air breaks. Each irradiation fraction must be given within 10-20 minutes after HBO treatment. At least 80% of the irradiations should be preceeded by HBO.

 

Hemoglobin concentration

The hemoglobin concentration should be > 10 mg/dl during the whole course of treatment.

If Hb <10mg/dl, patients receive blood transfusions or recombinant human erythropoietin.

Blinding

 

No blinding

 

Evaluation criteria

 

Primary endpoint: progression-free interval

Secondary endpoints: overall survival, feasibility, acute and late toxicity

Assessment of the compliance to the planned treatment

 

Transcutaneous oxygen measurements will be done to confirm hyperoxygenation.

Requirement for Hyperbaric Medical Centres participating in the study

 

The hyperbaric unit must be close enough to the radiation facilities to allow irradiation within 10-20 minutes after hyperbaric oxygen treatment.



 

[i] Brizel, DM, Sibley, GS, Prosnitz, LR, Scher, RL, Dewhirst, MW. Tumor hypoxia adversely affects the prognosis of carcinoma of the head and neck (1997) Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 38, 285-289.

 

[ii] Gatenby, RA, Kessler, HB, Rosenblum, JS, Coia, LR, Moldofsky, PJ, Hartz, WH, Broder, GJ (1988) Oxygen distribution in squamous cell carcinoma metastases an its relationship to outcome of radiation therapy. Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 14, 831-838.

 

[iii] Nordsmark, M. Overgaard, M, Overgaard, J (1996) Pretreatment oxygenation predicts radiation response in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Radiother. Oncol. 41, 31-39.

 

[iv] Höckel, M, Schlenger, K, Mitze, M, Schäffer, U, Vaupel, P (1996) Hypoxia and radiation response in human tumors. Sem. Radiat. Oncol. 6, 3-9.

 

[v] Brizel, DM, Scully, SP, Harrelson, JM, Layfield, LJ, Dodge, RK, Charles, HC, Samulski, TV, Prosnitz, LR, Dewhirst, MW (1996) Radiation therapy and hyperthermia improve the oxygenation of human soft tissue sarcomas. Cancer Res. 56, 5347-5350.

 

[vi] Mueller-Klieser, W, Vaupel, P. Manz, R (1983) Tumour oxygenation under normobaric and hyperbaric conditions. Br. J. Radiol. 56, 559-564.

 

[vii] D.M. Brizel, S. Lin, J.L. Johnson, J. Brooks, M.W. Dewhirst C.A. Piantadosi. The mechanisms by which hyperbaric oxygen and carbogen improve tumor oxygenation. Br. J. Cancer 72, (1995), 1120-1124.

 

[viii] Thews, O, Kelleher, DK, Vaupel, P. (1996) Hyperbaric oxygenation of experimental tumors. Strahlenther. Onkol. 172, Suppl. II, 24-25.

 

[ix] Jamieson, D, Van den Brenk, HAS (1964) Oxygen tension in human malignant disease under hyperbaric conditions. Br. J. Cancer 19, 139-150.

 

[x] Brizel, DM, Hage, WD, Dodge, RK, Munley, MT, Piantadosi, CA, Dewhirst, MK. (1997a) Hyperbaric oxygen improves tumor radiation response significantly more than carbogen/nicotinamide. Radiat. Res. 147, 715-720.

 

[xi] Brizel, DM, Lin, S, Johnson, JL, Brooks, J, Dewhirst, MW, Piantadosi, CA (1995). The mechanisms by which hyperbaric oxygen and carbogen improve tumor oxygenation. Br. J. Cancer 72, 1120-1124.

 

[xii] Feldmeier, JJ, Alecu, R, Court, WS, Davolt, DA, Porter, AT (1996) Does high dose brachytherapy offer us the opportunity to revisit hyperbaric oxygen radiation sensitization? Radiother. Oncol. 40, Suppl. 1, 534.

 

[xiii] Feldmeier, JJ, Alecu, R, Court, WS, Onada, JM, Davolt, DA (1997) Should we re-explore the issue of hyperbaric oxygen radiosensitization in the setting of high dose rate brachytherapy? Strahlenther. Onkol. 173, P108.

 

[xiv] Stewart, FA (1997) Re-treatment tolerance of normal tissues. In Steel, GG (ed) Basic clinic radiobiology, Edward Arnold London, pp 203-211.

 

[xv] Ang, KK, Price, RE, Stephens, LC et al. (1993) The tolerance of primate spinal cord to re-irradiation. Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 25, 459-464.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E : Toxizitäts score

(Toxizitäten nach NCI)

Toxizitäten nach NCI

 

 

0

1

2

3

4

Allergien

Allergien

keine

vorübergehender Ausschlag, Fieber < 38° C

Urtikaria, Fieber ³ 38° C, leichter Bronchospasmus

Serumkrankheit, Bronchospasmus, parenterale Medikation erforderlich

Anaphylaxie

Andere

keine Symptome

geringe Symptome

mäßige Symptome

schwere Symptome

lebensbedrohliche Symptome

Blut/Knochenmark

Leukozyten (109/L)

³ 4x109/L

3,0-3,9 x 109/L

2,0-2,9 x 109/L

1,0-1,9 x 109/L

< 1,0 x 109/L

Thrombozyten (109/L)

Normal (> 100,0x109/L)

75,0-100,0 x 109/L

50,0-74,9 x 109/L

25,0-49,9 x 109/L

< 25,0 x 109/L

Hämoglobin (g/L)

Normal (> 110 g/L)

100-110 g/L

80-99 g/L

65-79 g/L

< 65 g/L

Granulozyten (109/L)

³ 2x109/L

1,5-1,9 x 109/L

1,0-1,4 x 109/L

0,5-0,9 x 109/L

< 0,5 x 109/L

Lymphozyten (109/L)

³ 2,0 109/L

1,5-1,9 109/L

1,0-1,4 109/L

0,5-0,9 109/L

< 0,5 109/L

Hämorrhagie (aufgrund von Thrombozytopenie)

keine Hämorrhagie

leichte Hämorrhagie, keine Transfusion (inkl. Quetschung, Hämatom, Petechien)

starke Hämorrhagie, 1-2 Transfusionsein-heiten pro Vorfall

starke Hämorrhagie, 3-4 Transfusionsein-heiten pro Vorfall

massive Hämorrhagie, > 4 Transfusionseinheiten pro Vorfall

Andere

keine Symptome

geringe Symptome

mäßige Symptome

schwere Symptome

lebensbedrohliche Symptome

Krebs-assoziierte Symptome

Schmerzen aufgrund