Can an immunotherapy combo shrink head and neck tumors before surgery?

NCT ID NCT07751276

Not yet recruiting Disease control Sponsor: Yanjie Zhang, MD Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 07, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026

Summary

This trial is testing whether adding the immunotherapy drug finotonlimab to chemotherapy before and after surgery can improve outcomes for people with stage II head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Participants will receive either standard treatment (surgery plus chemoradiotherapy) or finotonlimab combined with chemotherapy before surgery, followed by finotonlimab maintenance after surgery. The study will measure how long participants live without the cancer returning or spreading, as well as overall survival.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: finotonlimab combined with chemotherapy (albumin-bound paclitaxel and carboplatin or cisplatin)
What this could lead to: If successful, this approach could improve event-free survival and overall survival for people with stage II head and neck cancer, potentially leading to a new standard perioperative treatment.
What could go wrong: This is a phase 2 trial with a moderate sample size, so results may not be definitive. Adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy can increase immune-related side effects, and the benefit over standard surgery plus chemoradiotherapy is not yet proven.

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 (HNSCC)

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