Clinical Research Directory

Workshops and Exchange Groups for Laryngectomized Patients

This research is conducted with the aim of improving the quality of life of laryngectomized patients and their entourage. Worldwide, there are 185,000 new cases of laryngeal cancer per year. In Europe, between 2000 and 2007, the crude annual incidence rates of these cancers were 4.6/100,000 with a 5-year survival rate of 61%. In France, about 30 to 35% of cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract are localized to the larynx, or about 43,000 cases per year. Most patients are men (89%) between 50 and 70 years old. One of the treatments for these cancers is to perform an excision of the larynx thus removing the entire tumor, it is the total laryngectomy. The trachea is thus permanently removed from the skin and the digestive tract becomes independent.

Gender Disparities in Voice Outcomes After Tracheoesophageal Puncture in Total Laryngectomy Patients (UC Davis)

To perform a multi-site prospective study assessing, both subjectively and objectively, the gender disparities in speech outcomes of patients using TEP after total laryngectomy. The investigators hypothesize that speech outcomes, both subjective and objective measures, will be significantly poorer for female patients compared to male patients. The outcome of the study is to prospectively assess both subjective and objective gender disparities in voice and speech outcomes of patients using TEP after total laryngectomy across a multiple institutions. The investigators hypothesize that both subjective and objective measurements of voice, speech and quality of life will be poorer for female patients in comparison to male patients.

European Larynx Organ Preservation Study (ELOS) [MK-3475-C44]

ELOS is a prospective, randomized, open-label, controlled, two-armed parallel group, phase II multicentre trial in local advanced stage III, IVA/B head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx or hypopharynx (LHNSCC) with PD-L1-expression within tumor tissue biopsy, calculated as CPS ≥ 1 curable by total laryngectomy. Induction chemotherapy (IC) with Docetaxel and Cisplatin (TP) followed by radiation will be compared to additional PD-1 inhibition. Patients will be selected after short induction early response evaluation after the first cycle IC (IC-1) aiming on larynx organ-preservation by additional 2 cycles IC followed by radiotherapy (69.6 Gy) for responders achieving endoscopic estimated tumor surface shrinkage (ETSS) ≥ 30%. Nonresponders (ETSS \< 30% or progressing disease) will receive total laryngectomy and selective neck dissection followed by postoperative radiation or chemoradiation according to the recommendation of the clinics multidisciplinary tumor board. However, Patients randomized into the intervention arm starting day 1 will receive 200 mg Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) i.v. in 3-week cycle (q3w) for 17 cycles (12 months). Treatment with pembrolizumab will continue in the experimental arm regardless of ETSS status after IC-1 in both responders and laryngectomized nonresponders, independent from subsequent decision on adjuvant therapy after TL.