One hundred and twenty (120) participants with head and neck cancer are scheduled to undergo combined radio- and chemotherapy (n = 120).~Nearly all (90% to 97%) participants receiving radiotherapy in the head and neck will develop some degree of mucositis. Of these participants treated with radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, 34% to 43% will present severe mucositis. As a result, the participant's quality of life is affected, hospital admittance rates are higher, the use of total parenteral nutrition is increased and interruption of treatment is more frequent, all of which compromise tumor control. Mucositis causes 9% to 19% of chemotherapy and radiotherapy interruption.~A common chemotherapeutic agent used in head and neck cancer is Cisplatin. Cisplatin (cis- diamminedichloroplatinum(II), CDDP) is an antineoplastic drug used in the treatment of many cancers including testicular cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, small and non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, stomach cancer, prostate cancer, brain tumors, neuroblastoma, sarcomas, multiple myeloma, melanoma, mesothelioma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, pancreatic cancer, and thyroid cancer. While toxicities include ototoxicity, gastrotoxicity, myelosuppression, and allergic reactions, the main dose-limiting side effect of cisplatin is nephrotoxicity followed by ototoxicity.~Tempol is a piperidine nitroxide. Nitroxides are a class of stable free radical compounds that protects mammalian cells against numerous toxic agents. Tempol protects normal cells from radiation and cisplatin-induced damage; however, in cancerous or tumor cells, Tempol is reduced to its hydroxylamine form that does not and cannot protect the cells from radiation and cisplatin induced damage. This distinction is of particular importance in the setting of cancer treatment, in which both normal and tumor tissue is exposed to radiation and chemotherapy.~Without using Tempol, both normal cells and cancer cells suffer from toxicity. Tempol is the only known compound to possess this functional duality. This compound has the potential to prevent many of the toxicities associated with cisplatin and radiation treatment including the prevention of mucositis, nephrotoxicity, and ototoxicity.
A 10 week trial to assess the ability of Tempol to prevent and/or reduce toxicities associated with cisplatin and radiation treatment in head and neck cancer patients. Over the course of the 10 week trial, mucositis, nephrotoxicity, and ototoxicity will be monitored and assessed.