Randomised Control Trials / Clinical Trials / Outcome Research
This page has information about the current clinical trials/clinical outcome research being undertaken at Aintree:
Current Randomised Control Trials:
HOPON
Click on the Logo for Liverpool University HOPON Webpage
HOPON is a randomised clinical trial to discover the value of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) in preventing jaw necrosis in long term survivors of head and neck cancer. HBO is an additional intensive treatment for patients and needs additional funding on an individal patient basis. Countered against that is the potentially very serious side effect of osteoradionecrosis. Patients having 'surgical procedures' (extracttions / implants) in the jaw following radiotherapy are invited to be randomised to HBO (20 dives pre-surgery and 10 dives post-surgery) versus standard care.
Click here for PDF article: Hyperbaric oxygen in the management of late radiation injury to the head and neck. Part I: treatment.
Click here for PDF article: Hyperbaric oxygen in the management of late radiation injury to the head and neck. Part II: prevention.
Click on the Logo for the LCTU Clinical Trials Website.
PET NECK
Click on the Logo for the INHANSE Pet Neck Webpage.
This trial is eligible for patients with advanced neck disease at presentation. The new scanning of PET imaging will be used to help define which patients need to have a neck dissection following their initial treatment.
The aim of this randomised control trial - To compare the efficacy of a PET-CT guided watch and wait policy with the current practice of planned neck dissection on overall survival, disease-specific survival, recurrence, quality of life and cost-effectiveness in the management of advanced (N2 or N3) nodal metastasis in patients treated with chemo/radiotherapy (C-RT) for their head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) primary.
Click on the Logo for a PDF Pet Neck poster:
PET-NECK: Setting Up A Collaborative Clinical Trial In A Rare Disease Site.
SEND
RATIONALE: Surgery may be an effective treatment for oral cancer. It is not yet known whether surgery to remove the tumor and lymph nodes in the neck is more effective than surgery to remove the tumor alone in treating patients with early-stage oral cancer.
PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is comparing two types of neck surgery to see how well they work in treating patients with early stage oral cancer
Click on the Logo for the 'Saving Faces' 'SEND' webpage
QOL / COHORT Studies
Head and Neck 5000:
The aim of this research project is to look at care for people with head and neck cancer. This will be the largest study to examine the factors that affect outcome for people with head and neck cancer. This study will help us understand more about head and neck cancer and how we can improve care for people diagnosed with one of these cancers.
Click here for more information on Head and Neck 5000
Determine
Is a research project from the 'Institute of Head and Neck Studies and Education' in Coventry to identify patients' most preferred questionnaire that can be used by patients with head and neck cancer when coming to see their doctors in the clinic.
The aim of using the questionnaire would be to help patients communicate and describe their problems more effectively with their doctor.
The aim is to find out which of these questionnaires patients most prefer and whether these fulfil the needs of patients.
Click on the Logo for the 'Determine' patient information sheet.
Clinical Trials
Cell cycle proteins in laryngeal cancer
This project represents a clinical / pathological / basic science collaboration looks at Epithethial Growth Factor (EGFR) and cyclin D1 expression predict for poor response to treatment with radiotherapy in early stage larynx cancer.
Epigenetic biomarkers in oral cancer
This project looks at using the best of modern technology to assess the status of surgical margins in oral cancer. Molecular assessment of surgical margins may prove far more sensitive that current methods and improve the prescription of adjuvant therapy. This study follows on from a RCSEng research fellowship in 2005/6.
Salivary function
For patients who consent samples of normal submandibular gland tissue taken as part of a routine neck dissection will be tested in the laboratory at Liverpool University to see how they work on at a cellular level. By gaining a better understanding of normal tissue it is hoped that this research will lead to improvement in the care of patients with salivary gland diseases such as Sjogrens syndrome.
Outcomes Research
The impact of chemo-radiotherapy treatment for oro-pharyngeal cancer on patient's and carer's daily life
It is hoped to undertake an in depth evaluation of patient's and carer's daily life undergoing chemo-radiotherapy treatment for oro-pharyngeal cancer. This will lead to a better understanding and a Carepathway to help identify and target support at critical times.
NIHR-CCF RfPB for NIHR Number: PB-PG-0407-13104 Patient Concerns Inventory
This study aims to establish and evaluate a Patient Concerns Inventory that when used in routine out-patient clinic will help patients and carers raise issues of concern and promote multidisciplinary support.
Health related quality of life
There are several studiies that are ongoing and we are really grateful to patients for completing the questionnaires and on occasion attending for interview or participating in a telephone survey. We have recently looked at the issue of intimacy. Also delays in patients self presentation with cancer.
