Two-Drug combo shows promise in keeping head and neck cancer at bay

NCT ID NCT05433116

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Universität des Saarlandes Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 2 trial is testing whether adding lenvatinib to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) after standard chemoradiation can help prevent head and neck cancer from coming back. About 50 patients with advanced, PD-L1 positive cancer will receive either the combination or pembrolizumab alone as maintenance therapy. The main goal is to see if the combination improves the number of patients who remain cancer-free after two years.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and lenvatinib (Lenvima)
What this could lead to: If successful, this combination could improve the chance of keeping head and neck cancer from returning after initial treatment.
What could go wrong: This is a mid-stage trial with only 50 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The drugs can cause significant side effects, and the benefit over standard therapy 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

Contacts and locations

Locations

Gemeinschaftspraxis Hämatologie-Onkologie

Dresden, Saxony, 01307, Germany
Hospital Chemnitz, Radiation Oncology

Chemnitz, Saxony, 09116, Germany
Saarland University Medical Center and Saarland University Faculty of Medicine, Clinic for Radiotherapy and Radiooncology

Homburg, Saarland, 66421, Germany
University Hospital Augsburg, Radiation Oncology

Augsburg, Bavaria, 86156, Germany
University Hospital Düsseldorf, Radiation Oncology

Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, 40225, Germany
University Hospital Erlangen, Radiation Oncology

Erlangen, Bavaria, 91054, Germany
University Hospital Frankfurt/M, Center for Radiology

Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, 60590, Germany
University Hospital Giessen; Ear, nose and throat clinic

Giessen, Hesse, 35392, Germany
University Hospital Regensburg, Clinic and Polyclinic for Radiotherapy

Regensburg, Bavaria, 93053, Germany
University Hospital Ulm, Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery

Ulm, Baden-Wurttemberg, 89070, Germany

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