Tailored drug combo tested for tough head and neck cancers
NCT ID NCT04326257
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This phase II trial tested a personalized approach for people with advanced head and neck cancer that had stopped responding to prior immunotherapy. Researchers used genetic testing to choose which drug to add to nivolumab—either relatlimab or ipilimumab. The study enrolled 20 participants and measured how many had their tumors shrink significantly.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Nivolumab combined with either Relatlimab or Ipilimumab
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could offer a new treatment option for patients with head and neck cancer that has stopped responding to standard immunotherapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 20 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The treatment may cause significant side effects and may not shrink tumors in most patients.
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
-
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15232, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Liver damage study in head and neck cancer abandoned after just 2 patients
- New antibody drug takes aim at Hard-to-Treat cancers