New combo therapy shows promise for tough head and neck cancers
NCT ID NCT04454489
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase 2 trial tested a combination of a short, intense course of radiation (quad-shot) and the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab in 21 people with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic head and neck cancer. The goal was to see if the combination could shrink tumors and be safe. The study is complete, and results will help determine if this approach is worth testing in larger trials.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Pembrolizumab (immunotherapy) and quad-shot palliative radiotherapy
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could offer a new way to shrink tumors and control advanced head and neck cancer when standard treatments have failed.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase pilot study with only 21 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Side effects from both immunotherapy and radiation are possible.
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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Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a Three-Pronged attack shrink Hard-to-Treat head and neck cancers?
- Sharper radiation boost aims to tackle head and neck cancers that return
- New combo attack: immunotherapy plus chemo before surgery for head and neck cancer
- Leftover immunotherapy may boost chemo: new study investigates timing