New combo attack: immunotherapy plus chemo before surgery for head and neck cancer

NCT ID NCT05726370

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 2 trial tests whether giving the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab along with chemotherapy before surgery, followed by pembrolizumab alone for about a year after surgery, can improve outcomes for people with recurrent head and neck cancer. The study aims to see if this approach can shrink or eliminate the tumor before surgery and reduce the chance of cancer returning. It involves 28 participants whose cancer has come back in the same area or is a new tumor in a previously treated area.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: pembrolizumab (immunotherapy) plus chemotherapy (docetaxel, cisplatin, or carboplatin)
What this could lead to: If successful, this combination could improve the chance of eliminating cancer before surgery and reduce the risk of it coming back afterward.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 28 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The drugs can cause serious side effects like infections, organ damage, or immune 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 cancer Head and Neck Neoplasms 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 CANCER HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA RECURRENT HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA RESECTABLE HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA SECOND PRIMARY SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK

Contacts and locations

Locations

Brigham and Women's Hospital
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
RECRUITING

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

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