New scan spots hidden cancer spread before surgery
NCT ID NCT06794372
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This Phase 2 trial tests whether a special PET/CT scan using [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 can detect early lymph node metastases in people with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The scan targets cancer-associated fibroblasts, which help create a welcoming environment for cancer to spread. Researchers will compare the scan results with standard imaging and with the actual lymph nodes removed during surgery to see if it can identify at-risk nodes before they become full metastases.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 (a radioactive tracer for PET/CT imaging)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this imaging method could help doctors detect lymph node metastases earlier and more accurately, leading to better treatment decisions for head and neck cancer patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early-phase trial with only 20 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The imaging technique is still experimental and may not prove better than current methods.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA (HNSCC) are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
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
-
Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois
RECRUITINGLausanne, Canton of Vaud, 1011, Switzerland
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a One-Two punch of radiation and immunotherapy shrink head and neck tumors before surgery?
- Can an immunotherapy combo shrink head and neck tumors before surgery?
- Vaccine trains immune system to fight HPV-Positive head and neck tumors
- New scan could sharpen detection of head and neck cancers
- New cocktail aims to shrink head and neck tumors before surgery
- New cancer drug EXS74539 enters first human trials