Could a drug combo save nerves in ear cancer surgery?
NCT ID NCT07370337
First seen Jan 29, 2026 · Last updated Jun 19, 2026 · Updated 25 times
Summary
This phase 2 trial is testing whether giving the immunotherapy drug tislelizumab along with chemotherapy before surgery can shrink advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the ear canal. The goal is to make surgery easier and safer, especially to protect important nerves near the ear. About 50 adults with previously untreated, locally advanced tumors will receive 2-3 cycles of the drug combo, then researchers will measure how many tumors shrink and how often nerves are spared.
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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.
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
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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Li Wang
RECRUITINGShanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200031, China
Contact
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
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What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
tislelizumab combined with chemotherapy (nab-paclitaxel and cisplatin)
What this could lead to
If successful, this approach could shrink tumors enough to allow safer surgery, potentially preserving facial nerves and improving quality of life for patients with advanced ear canal cancer.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-phase trial with only 50 participants and no comparison group. The treatment may not work better than standard care, and side effects from chemotherapy and immunotherapy can be serious.
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.