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Testing the Best Dose of Fluorescently-Labeled Panitumumab before Surgery in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer

Trial Status: active

This phase I trial evaluates the best dose of fluorescently-labeled panitumumab (panitumumab-IRDye800) in patients undergoing surgery for head and neck squamous cell cancer. Panitumumab is an approved drug 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. IRDye800 is an investigational dye that 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 results of this study may help researchers identify the best dose of panitumumab-IRDye800 to be used before surgery in head and neck squamous cell cancer patients.