Immunotherapy cocktail aims to shrink head and neck tumors before surgery

NCT ID NCT07371897

Not yet recruiting Disease control Sponsor: Sun Yat-sen University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether adding chemotherapy to the immunotherapy drug toripalimab before surgery helps keep head and neck cancer from coming back. About 154 adults with advanced but operable cancer will get either toripalimab alone or with chemo for two cycles, then have surgery and radiation. The goal is to see which approach leads to longer cancer-free survival.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Toripalimab (immunotherapy) with or without docetaxel and cisplatin (chemotherapy)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could offer a more effective pre-surgery treatment to lower the chance of head and neck cancer returning.
What could go wrong: This is an early-stage Phase 3 trial with only 154 participants. The added chemo may increase side effects without improving outcomes, and results may not apply to all 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.

head and neck squamous cell carcinoma Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA (HNSCC)

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