Birinapant and Intensity Modulated Re-Irradiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. Determine the toxicities and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of birinapant concurrent with intensity modulated re-irradiation therapy (IMRRT). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the objective response rate of patients with locoregionally recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with re-irradiation and birinapant. II. Determine the local-regional control, progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival. III. Determine if Fas-associated death domain (FADD) and/or Baculoviral IAP Repeat containing 2 and Baculoviral IAP Repeat containing 3 (BIRC2/3) copy gain in tumor tissue or in the blood are associated with improved response, locoregional control (LCR), progression-free survival and overall survival. IV. Determine the feasibility of detecting effects of birinapant and re-irradiation on pilot pharmacodynamic markers in tumor tissue, by using microwestern to assess decrease in drug targets inhibitor of apoptosis 1/2 (IAP1/2) and increase in apoptosis/necroptosis markers caspase 3 and mixed lineage kinase domain like pseudokinase gene (MLKL). EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. Explore if mutational load detected with whole exome sequencing of tumor tissue influences objective response rate. II. Explore if programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8) T-cell tumor infiltration, TNFalphatumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha, and other immune related biomarkers in tumor tissue are associated with objective response rate. III. Explore the pharmacokinetics of birinapant in combination with radiotherapy in blood samples. IV. Explore whether specific germline single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with response to birinapant and reirradiation. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of birinapant. Beginning on day 1, patients undergo IMRRT 5 days a week (Monday-Friday). Patients also receive birinapant intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes on days 2 and 9 of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for up to 2 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 28 days, and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months until confirmation of disease progression.