New drug combo targets Hard-to-Treat nasopharyngeal cancer
NCT ID NCT04825990
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase 2 trial is testing whether combining pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy) with olaparib (a PARP inhibitor) can shrink tumors in people with nasopharyngeal cancer that has become resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy. The study plans to enroll 30 adults whose cancer has progressed within 6 months of platinum treatment. Participants receive both drugs until the cancer worsens, side effects become too severe, or up to 2 years of treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- pembrolizumab and olaparib
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this combination could offer a new treatment option for people with nasopharyngeal cancer that has stopped responding to platinum-based chemotherapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 30 participants. The combination may not improve outcomes and could cause significant side effects from the immune system and DNA repair inhibition.
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
-
Asst Degli Spedali Civili Di Brescia
Brescia, Brescia, 25123, Italy
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- New radiation approach aims to reduce dry mouth in throat cancer patients
- New pill-chemo combo takes on hard-to-treat cancers