Clinical Research Directory

High-Resolution PET-CT Imaging for Surgical Margin Visualization

Imaging will be exploratory and be used intraoperatively. There have been no discovered risks associated with the device to be used in this study, and none are anticipated given the diagnostic and non-invasive, 'ex vivo' nature of device use. Of note, the surgical resection will proceed as per standard of care and will not be affected by the research protocol. Potential Benefit: Imaging intra-operatively will ensure surgeons to identify at risk resection margins. Time Commitment: There are no additional visits that will be asked of you to partake in this study. Drug is FDA approved and Exposure to Radiation is minimal.

Window Trial of Fluorescently Labeled Panitumumab (Panitumumab-IRDye800) in Head and Neck Cancer

This study is exploring the use of Panitumumab in Head and Neck Cancer. Panitumumab is an approved drug named Vectibix and is used as an anti-cancer agent in other cancers such as colorectal cancer. It works by attaching to the cancer cell in a unique way that allows the drug to get into the cancer tissue. In addition to the Panitumumab, participants will also receive a Panitumumab-IRDye800 (Pan800) or a fluorescently labeled Panitumumab infusion. IRDye800 is an investigational dye that, when tested in the lab, helps various characteristics of human tissue show up better when using a special camera during surgery. Panitumumab-IRDye800 is a combination of the drug and the dye that attaches to cancer cells and appears to make them visible to the doctor when he or she uses the special camera during surgery. The goal of this study is to use a novel and possibly safer approach to identify an optimal dose for panitumumab to treat cancer patients by using a new light-based therapy. In this study, different drug levels will be analyzed using this approach to understand how much drug reaches the tumor at different administered doses, which may help us provide safer and/or more effective therapies in the future. The goal is to identify the correct amount or dose of a drug that is needed for effective cancer therapies. Often, clinical studies look at how much of the drug can be tolerated before patients become sick, rather than how much of the drug is required to be effective. IRDye800 is an investigational dye that, when tested in the lab, helps various characteristics of human tissue show up better when using a special camera during surgery. Panitumumab-IRDye800 is a combination of the drug and the dye that attaches to cancer cells and appears to make them visible to the doctor when he or she uses the special camera during surgery. This will help the surgeon with clinical margins during surgery and will may have a clearer way to differentiate between cancer and healthy tissue.