A gentler path after surgery for HPV throat cancer?
NCT ID NCT04920344
First seen Aug 14, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026
Summary
This phase 2 trial is testing whether people with HPV-related throat cancer can safely receive lower doses of radiation and chemotherapy after surgery, compared with the standard full-intensity approach. The goal is to see if this lighter treatment helps preserve swallowing function and overall quality of life while still keeping the cancer under control. Participants will undergo transoral surgery to remove the tumor, followed by reduced-dose radiation, and some will also receive weekly cisplatin. The study tracks swallowing outcomes, cancer recurrence, and survival to see if the gentler regimen is both effective and kinder to patients.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Transoral surgery followed by reduced-dose external beam radiation therapy, with or without weekly cisplatin chemotherapy
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could allow people with HPV-related throat cancer to keep better swallowing function and quality of life after treatment, without compromising cancer control.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial, so results may not apply broadly. Reduced therapy might not control the cancer as well as standard treatment, and radiation and cisplatin still carry risks like tissue damage, dry mouth, and other side effects.
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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RWJBarnabas Health - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903, United States
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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903, United States
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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey at University Hospital
Newark, New Jersey, 07103, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- New hope for head and neck cancer: which drug works best with radiation?
- Could less radiation be just as effective for HPV throat cancer?