Blood test may tailor throat cancer treatment, sparing patients from harsh side effects
NCT ID NCT04900623
First seen Aug 05, 2026 · Last updated Aug 06, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether a blood test that detects HPV DNA can help doctors personalize treatment for people with HPV-related throat cancer. Participants receive radiation therapy, with or without chemotherapy, but the intensity is adjusted based on their blood test results and clinical features. The goal is to see if this risk-adapted approach can maintain cancer control while reducing unnecessary side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy (cisplatin, carboplatin, paclitaxel), guided by NavDx HPV ctDNA blood testing
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could allow doctors to tailor treatment intensity for HPV-related throat cancer, potentially reducing side effects while keeping the cancer under control.
- What could go wrong
- This is a phase 2 trial, so results are preliminary. The blood test may not accurately predict outcomes, and reducing treatment could risk cancer recurrence. Side effects from radiation and chemotherapy remain possible.
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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
-
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- A gentler path after surgery for HPV throat cancer?
- Can a Three-Pronged attack shrink Hard-to-Treat head and neck cancers?
- Robotic surgery may spare throat cancer patients from chemo and radiation
- Vaccine trains immune system to fight HPV-Positive head and neck tumors
- New Vaccine-Drug combo aims to tame HPV throat cancer with less radiation
- Can less radiation be just as good for HPV throat cancer?