Can a targeted drug shrink tumors when immunotherapy fails?

NCT ID NCT04375384

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This phase 2 trial is testing the drug cetuximab by itself in people with head and neck cancer that has come back or spread. Participants have already tried immunotherapy (PD-1 inhibitors) and it stopped working or caused side effects. The study will measure how many patients see their tumors shrink and how long they live without the cancer getting worse.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Cetuximab (a targeted cancer drug given by IV)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could provide a new treatment option for patients with head and neck cancer whose disease has worsened after immunotherapy.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 38 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Cetuximab can cause side effects like skin reactions and infusion reactions.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

head and neck squamous cell carcinoma Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA METASTATIC HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA RECURRENT HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center
RECRUITING

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States

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