Immunotherapy plus precision radiation shows promise for Tough-to-Treat head and neck cancers
NCT ID NCT03546582
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase II trial tests whether adding the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to high-precision radiation (SBRT) can help people with head and neck cancer that has come back or is a new tumor in the same area. About 86 participants will receive either the combination or radiation alone. The goal is to see if the combo delays cancer growth better than radiation by itself.
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 stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could offer a new treatment option to delay cancer progression in patients with recurrent head and neck cancer who have limited choices.
- What could go wrong
- This is a phase II trial with only 86 participants, so results are preliminary. Adding immunotherapy to radiation may increase side effects, and the benefit over radiation alone 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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Boston Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, United States
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Centre Hospitalier de l'université de Montréal
Montreal, Quebec, H2X 3E4, Canada
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Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States
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Cleveland Clinic - Weston
Weston, Florida, 33331, United States
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Cross Cancer Institute
Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1Z2, Canada
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Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19111, United States
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McGill University
Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada
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Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226, United States
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Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States
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Northwell Health
Lake Success, New York, 11042, United States
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Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States
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Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, United States
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University of Arizona Cancer Center - North Campus
Tucson, Arizona, 85719, United States
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University of Cincinnati Cancer Center - UC Medical Center
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45219, United States
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University of Louisville, James Graham Brown Cancer Center
Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, United States
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University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Shadyside
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15232, United States
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University of Texas Southwestern
Dallas, Texas, 75390, United States
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Washington University St. Louis
St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
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 scan spots hidden cancer spread before surgery