Could less chemo be enough? new trial tests shorter treatment for head and neck cancer
NCT ID NCT06557889
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase 2 trial is testing whether giving only 4 cycles of chemotherapy alongside the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab can effectively treat PD-L1-positive head and neck cancer that has spread or come back. Standard treatment usually involves 6 cycles of chemo. The study will enroll 86 people and monitor tumor response and side effects. If it works, patients might get effective treatment with fewer side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin and 5-FU)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that fewer chemotherapy cycles are just as effective, reducing side effects for patients with advanced head and neck cancer.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 86 participants and no comparison group, so results may not be definitive. Reducing chemo might also reduce effectiveness.
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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CHU Amiens
RECRUITINGAmiens, France
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CHU Poitiers
RECRUITINGPoitiers, France
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CHU de Nantes
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGNantes, France
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Centre Antoine Lacassagne
RECRUITINGNice, France
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Centre Eugène Marquis
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGRennes, France
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Centre Hospitalier Regional de Marseille
RECRUITINGMarseille, France
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Centre Jean Perrin
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGClermont-Ferrand, France
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Centre Oscar Lambret
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGLille, France
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Chu Bordeaux - Hopital Saint André
RECRUITINGBordeaux, France
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Chu Limoges
RECRUITINGLimoges, France
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Chu de Nimes
RECRUITINGNîmes, France
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Clinique Pasteur
RECRUITINGToulouse, France
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IUCT-O
RECRUITINGToulouse, France
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Institut Sainte Catherine
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGAvignon, France
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Smartphone app aims to combat malnutrition in head and neck cancer patients
- Can adding radiation boost immunotherapy against spread head and neck cancer?
- Can a Two-Pronged attack shrink Hard-to-Treat cancers?
- New hope for hard-to-treat cancers? experimental combo enters phase 2 trial
- New antibody drug aims to unleash immune system on Hard-to-Treat cancers
- Could fewer radiation sessions after surgery improve quality of life for head and neck cancer patients?