Clinical Trials

This is a multi-site study with several other leading centers studying sinonasal cancers. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the treatment and significant morbidity associated with sinonasal cancer and identify the impact this disease has on quality of life. In addition, several additional endpoints will focus on survival and optimal treatment strategies. Additional components will also included genomic and molecular analysis of tumor tissue as we search for novel targets for therapy.

The purpose of this study is to assess how using lidocaine jelly in Mohs surgery impacts the overall quantity of lidocaine/epinephrine injectable needed to maintain anesthesia, and patients’ pain/anxiety associated with anesthesia injections.   

The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of adding nivolumab to the usual chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin with gemcitabine) versus the usual chemotherapy alone in treating patients with nasopharyngeal cancer that has come back (recurrent) or spread to other places in the body (metastatic). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, carboplatin, and gemcitabine, 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 nivolumab with the usual chemotherapy may work better than the usual chemotherapy alone in treating patients with nasopharyngeal cancer.

There are two study questions we are asking in this randomized phase II/III trial based on a blood biomarker, Epstein Barr virus (EBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for locoregionally advanced non-metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. All patients will first undergo standard concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy. When this standard treatment is completed, if there is no detectable EBV DNA in their plasma, then patients are randomized to either standard adjuvant cisplatin and fluorouracil chemotherapy or observation. If there is still detectable levels of plasma EBV DNA, patients will be randomized to standard cisplatin and fluorouracil chemotherapy versus gemcitabine and paclitaxel. Radiation therapy uses high energy x rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, fluorouracil, gemcitabine hydrochloride, and paclitaxel 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. It is not yet known whether giving cisplatin and fluorouracil is more effective than gemcitabine hydrochloride and paclitaxel after radiation therapy in treating patients with nasopharyngeal cancer.

This phase II trial studies how well nivolumab works in treating patients with nasopharyngeal cancer that has returned after a period of improvement (recurrent) and/or has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). Monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, may block tumor growth in different ways by targeting certain cells.

The purpose of this study is to determine if intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or proton radiation therapy would result in improved local control rates and lowered toxicity compared to conventional radiotherapy. Data from retrospective studies suggest that IMRT and proton radiation therapy each resulted in promising outcomes for patients with sinonasal malignancy. No previous prospective study has been conducted to evaluate the outcome of sinonasal cancer treated with IMRT or proton radiation therapy.

The study would also assess if proton radiation therapy would result in equivalent or improved local control rate with similar or lower toxicity compared to IMRT.  It is not known if one is superior to the other in terms of local control and toxicity outcome. It is also not clear if a subset of patients would benefit more from one treatment technology versus the other.

This randomized phase II trial studies how well cetuximab with or without tivantinib works in treating patients with head and neck cancer that is recurrent, metastatic, or cannot be removed by surgery. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can interfere with tumor growth by blocking the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Tivantinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It is not yet known whether cetuximab is more effective with or without tivantinib in treating patients with head and neck cancer.

The purpose of this study is to gather periodic quality of life data using the validated SNOT-22 protocol and/or other validated metrics using a free iPhone application for patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyposis (CRSwNP).

The purpose of this study is to obtain tissue, blood, saliva, and stool specimens and informed consent from ENT patients in order to build a freezer archive of samples to support ongoing and future developmental studies.