New Drug-Radiation combo shows promise for Tough-to-Treat head and neck cancer

NCT ID NCT04533750

First seen Nov 01, 2025 · Last updated Jun 22, 2026 · Updated 45 times

Summary

This early-phase trial is testing whether adding the drug peposertib to standard radiation therapy is safe and effective for people with advanced head and neck cancer who cannot take the chemotherapy drug cisplatin. The study involves 21 participants and aims to find the best dose of peposertib while monitoring side effects and tumor response. If successful, it could offer a new treatment path for this group of patients.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center

    Gilbert, Arizona, 85234, United States

  • Banner University Medical Center - Tucson

    Tucson, Arizona, 85719, United States

  • Carle Cancer Center

    Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

  • Carle Physician Group-Effingham

    Effingham, Illinois, 62401, United States

  • Carle Physician Group-Mattoon/Charleston

    Mattoon, Illinois, 61938, United States

  • Carle at The Riverfront

    Danville, Illinois, 61832, United States

  • Emory University Hospital Midtown

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30308, United States

  • Emory University Hospital/Winship Cancer Institute

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States

  • Highland Hospital

    Rochester, New York, 14620, United States

  • Inova Schar Cancer Institute

    Fairfax, Virginia, 22031, United States

  • Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone

    New York, New York, 10016, United States

  • Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona

    Phoenix, Arizona, 85054, United States

  • Medical University of South Carolina

    Charleston, South Carolina, 29425, United States

  • Moffitt Cancer Center

    Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States

  • NYU Langone Hospital - Long Island

    Mineola, New York, 11501, United States

  • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States

  • Providence Portland Medical Center

    Portland, Oregon, 97213, United States

  • Sanford Cancer Center Oncology Clinic

    Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57104, United States

  • Sanford USD Medical Center - Sioux Falls

    Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57117-5134, United States

  • Stanford Cancer Institute Palo Alto

    Palo Alto, California, 94304, United States

  • The James Graham Brown Cancer Center at University of Louisville

    Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, United States

  • UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center

    La Jolla, California, 92093, United States

  • UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

  • University of Arizona Cancer Center-North Campus

    Tucson, Arizona, 85719, United States

  • University of Miami Miller School of Medicine-Sylvester Cancer Center

    Miami, Florida, 33136, United States

  • University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, United States

  • University of Rochester

    Rochester, New York, 14642, United States

What this could mean

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

Active substance

peposertib (a drug that may block enzymes needed for cancer cell growth)

What this could lead to

If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option for head and neck cancer patients who cannot take standard chemotherapy.

What could go wrong

This is a very early phase I trial with only 21 participants, so it is primarily testing safety and dosing. It may not show strong anti-cancer effects, and side effects are unknown.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

carcinoma head and neck squamous cell carcinoma hypopharynx cancer laryngeal neoplasm Mouth Neoplasms oropharynx cancer

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ADVANCED HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA ADVANCED HYPOPHARYNGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA ADVANCED LARYNGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA ADVANCED ORAL CAVITY SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA ADVANCED ORAL CAVITY SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA ADVANCED OROPHARYNGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA CLINICAL STAGE III HPV-MEDIATED (P16-POSITIVE) OROPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA AJCC V8 CLINICAL STAGE III HPV-MEDIATED (P16-POSITIVE) OROPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE III HYPOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE III HYPOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE III LARYNGEAL CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE III LARYNGEAL CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE III LIP AND ORAL CAVITY CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE III LIP AND ORAL CAVITY CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE III OROPHARYNGEAL (P16-NEGATIVE) CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE III OROPHARYNGEAL (P16-NEGATIVE) CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE III OROPHARYNGEAL (P16-NEGATIVE) CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE IVA HYPOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE IVA HYPOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE IVA LARYNGEAL CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE IVA LARYNGEAL CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE IVA LIP AND ORAL CAVITY CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE IVA LIP AND ORAL CAVITY CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE IVA OROPHARYNGEAL (P16-NEGATIVE) CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE IVA OROPHARYNGEAL (P16-NEGATIVE) CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE IVB HYPOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE IVB HYPOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE IVB LARYNGEAL CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE IVB LARYNGEAL CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE IVB LIP AND ORAL CAVITY CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE IVB LIP AND ORAL CAVITY CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE IVB OROPHARYNGEAL (P16-NEGATIVE) CARCINOMA AJCC V8 STAGE IVB OROPHARYNGEAL (P16-NEGATIVE) CARCINOMA AJCC V8