Phase III Trial of Radiotherapy Plus Cetuximab Versus Chemoradiotherapy in HPV-Associated Oropharynx Cancer

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors.
Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of
tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal
antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the
ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or
carry tumor-killing substances to them. It is not yet known whether radiation therapy is more
effective with cisplatin or cetuximab in treating oropharyngeal cancer.

PURPOSE: This phase III trial is studying radiation therapy with cisplatin or cetuximab to
see how well it works in treating patients with oropharyngeal cancer.