Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

This phase II trial is testing whether the combination of cabozantinib (a targeted therapy) and nivolumab (an immunotherapy) can shrink or stabilize advanced melanoma and head and neck cancers that have stopped responding to prior immunotherapy. Researchers are also checking if t…

This early-phase study tests whether adding the experimental drug ipatasertib to standard chemotherapy and radiation is safe and effective for people with advanced head and neck cancer. Ipatasertib may help stop cancer cell growth. About 46 participants will receive the combinati…

This phase II trial is testing whether adding chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy before standard salvage surgery can improve outcomes for patients with PD-L1 positive head and neck cancer that has come back. About 180 participants will receive either carboplatin and paclitaxel, …

This study tests whether adding cetuximab to standard immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) helps people with advanced head and neck cancer that has stopped responding to platinum chemotherapy live longer. About 158 adults with cancer that has returned or spread will receive either pembr…

This study looks at the best way to treat people with p53-mutant oral dysplasia (abnormal cells in the mouth) and early-stage oral cancer. About 636 adults will be placed into three groups based on their diagnosis and receive either monitoring, surgery, or surgery plus neck disse…

This study tests whether adding an experimental drug (CDX-1140) to a standard immunotherapy (cemiplimab) before surgery can shrink advanced head and neck cancers more than the immunotherapy alone. About 44 people with stage III-IV head and neck cancer will receive either the comb…

This early-phase trial is testing whether a drug called camonsertib, combined with a precise type of radiation, can help control head and neck cancers that have come back or cannot be removed by surgery. About 39 adults with these cancers will receive the drug along with focused …

This phase II trial tests whether a personalized, reduced-volume radiation plan can safely lower side effects after surgery for head and neck cancer. About 50 patients will receive radiation only to high-risk areas, skipping some traditionally treated zones. The goal is to see if…

This phase II trial is testing whether the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) alone can work better than the usual combination of chemotherapy and radiation after surgery for head and neck cancer that has come back or is a new primary tumor. About 188 adults aged 18-79 w…

This study tests whether a less invasive surgery called sentinel lymph node biopsy can replace standard neck dissection for early-stage oral cavity cancer. About 686 patients will be randomly assigned to one of the two procedures. The goal is to see if the gentler approach mainta…

This study is testing whether taking the antibiotic metronidazole and using a chlorhexidine mouth rinse for 10 days before surgery can lower the amount of bacteria living inside oral cancer tumors. The researchers will compare bacteria levels before and after treatment in 30 adul…

This trial tests whether removing fewer lymph nodes from the neck (selective dissection, levels I-IV) works as well as the standard more extensive removal (modified dissection, levels I-V) in people with oral cancer that has spread to a single lymph node. The goal is to see if th…

This trial compares two types of neck surgery for people with oral cancer that has not spread to lymph nodes. One surgery removes lymph nodes from levels I to IV, while the other removes only levels I to III. The goal is to see whether the less extensive surgery can control cance…

This phase II trial is testing whether a sentinel lymph node biopsy can guide radiation therapy to only one side of the neck in people with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. Currently, standard treatment often involves radiating both sides of the neck, which can harm saliva pr…

This phase 2 trial tests whether giving two drugs, cemiplimab and cetuximab, before salvage surgery can help control recurrent oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. The study involves 17 adults whose cancer has returned at least 3 months after prior treatment. Researchers will mon…

This early-phase trial is testing whether adding the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to radiation therapy before and during surgery can help treat head and neck cancers that have persisted or come back. About 45 adults with resectable tumors will receive the combinati…

This trial investigates whether adding ivonescimab—a drug that targets both PD-1 and VEGF—to standard chemotherapy can shrink locally advanced oral or oropharyngeal cancers before surgery. About 20 adults with resectable stage II–IVA disease will receive two cycles of the combina…

This study tests whether custom 3D-printed titanium implants can safely and effectively rebuild facial bones in 30 adults with defects from injury, cancer surgery, or birth conditions. Each implant is designed from CT scans to match the patient's unique anatomy. Researchers will …

This study tests a drug called afatinib in 25 adults with Fanconi anemia who have advanced head and neck cancer that cannot be removed by surgery. Afatinib is a pill that blocks a protein helping cancer grow. The goal is to see if it can shrink tumors and control the disease. Res…

This study tests whether using ultrasound during oral cancer surgery helps surgeons remove tumors more completely. About 150 adults with early-stage oral cancer will be randomly assigned to standard surgery or surgery guided by real-time ultrasound. The goal is to see if ultrasou…

This study compares a standard 6-week radiation course after surgery to a shorter 3-week course for people with head and neck cancer. The goal is to see if the shorter schedule works just as well at preventing cancer from coming back. About 369 participants will be randomly assig…

This study tests whether it is safe to skip radiation to the lymph nodes in the neck after surgery for early-stage oral cancer. About 396 adults aged 18-70 with certain high-risk features will be randomly assigned to receive or not receive this radiation. The goal is to see if sk…

This study tests three new ways to deliver the chemotherapy drug cisplatin directly to tumors in the mouth or lungs. The goal is to kill cancer cells while reducing side effects on the rest of the body. About 40 adults with early-stage oral or lung cancer will receive the treatme…

This study tests whether nisin, a natural preservative found in some foods, can safely change the bacteria in the mouths of people with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. About 40 patients will take nisin before and after their standard surgery. The goal is to find a safe dose …

This study tests whether giving less radiation after surgery for certain head and neck cancers can reduce long-term side effects, like trouble swallowing, without allowing the cancer to come back. About 508 adults who have had surgery and need standard post-op radiation will be r…

This early-phase trial tests a personalized vaccine made from a patient's own tumor cells, given alone or with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, for people with head and neck cancer that has returned or spread. The main goals are to check safety, find the best dose, and see i…

This study tests whether combining two drugs, sacituzumab govitecan and cetuximab, can shrink or control advanced head and neck cancer that has grown after initial therapy. About 40 adults whose cancer has spread or returned will receive the combination. The goal is to see how ma…

This phase II trial tests whether adding lovastatin, a common cholesterol-lowering drug, to the immunotherapy pembrolizumab can help shrink tumors in people with head and neck cancer that has returned or spread. The study will enroll 28 adults whose tumors express PD-L1. Research…

This phase 3 trial tests whether adding the immunotherapy drug sintilimab to chemotherapy before and after surgery can improve outcomes for people with advanced oral cancer. About 104 participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the combination therapy or standard sur…

This trial tests a program called ENDURE that helps head and neck cancer patients start radiation therapy within 6 weeks after surgery. The program provides education, social support, and better coordination among doctors. Researchers will compare it to usual care in 532 adults w…

This pilot study is testing whether people with early-stage oral or throat cancer (T1-N0 or T2-N0) can safely have their tumor removed as an outpatient, going home the same day. The procedure also includes a sentinel lymph node biopsy to check for cancer spread. Researchers will …

This study tests a new care coordination system called PRONTO-HN for head and neck cancer patients. The system uses a risk model to identify patients likely to need radiation after surgery and then coordinates appointments and alerts to reduce delays. Researchers will compare 85 …

This study tests a new surgical technique using a thin skin flap from the groin area to rebuild the mouth or throat after cancer removal. The goal is to see if it causes fewer problems at the donor site compared to standard flaps. Forty adults with head and neck cancer will be fo…

This trial tests a fluorescent probe called TTP-ICG that targets Trop2, a protein often found on oral cancer cells. Researchers will soak tissue samples from people with oral tumors in the probe and use near-infrared imaging to see if it can distinguish cancer from benign growths…

This study tests a new imaging device called the Active Biopsy Guidance System to help doctors decide when and where to take tissue samples (biopsies) from mouth lesions. About 90 adults with suspicious mouth spots or a history of oral cancer will participate. The goal is to see …

This study is testing a special camera that uses a laser to take microscopic pictures of suspicious spots inside the mouth. The goal is to see if these images can help doctors diagnose oral cancers and guide surgery. About 140 people with oral cancer will have their lesions image…

This early-stage trial tests a fluorescent dye attached to the cancer drug nivolumab. The dye is meant to make cancer cells glow during surgery, helping surgeons remove them more precisely. The study will enroll 40 people with head and neck cancer who are already scheduled for su…

This study is testing whether a simple saliva sample can help diagnose oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a type of mouth cancer. Researchers will look for specific DNA changes (methylation) in the saliva of 30 patients with OSCC and compare them to 30 healthy controls. If the …

This study is testing a new, high-frequency ultrasound probe that goes inside the mouth to look at suspicious spots. The goal is to see if it can accurately measure how deep a mouth cancer goes, which might help doctors diagnose it without always needing a surgical biopsy. The st…

This study tests whether a special type of CT scan (dual-energy CT) can be as good as MRI for staging oral and throat cancers. Staging helps doctors decide the best treatment. If the CT works just as well, patients might avoid an extra MRI, get treated faster, and free up MRI mac…

This phase 3 trial tests whether a lozenge called BupiZenge, which contains the long-acting painkiller bupivacaine, can relieve mouth pain from radiation therapy better than the standard lidocaine rinse. About 150 adults with head and neck cancer will be randomly assigned to one …

This phase II trial tests whether adding BMX-001 to standard symptom management can reduce severe mouth sores in head and neck cancer patients receiving chemoradiation. About 98 participants will receive either BMX-001 or a placebo alongside usual care. The goal is to see if BMX-…

This study tests whether a drug called methylnaltrexone is safe for people with head and neck cancer when taken for two weeks before their surgery. The drug is already used for constipation, but researchers want to see if it can be given safely in this setting. About 25 adults wi…

This study looks at immune markers in tumor tissue, saliva, stool, and blood from 250 head and neck cancer patients who cannot receive cisplatin chemotherapy. Researchers want to see if these markers can predict how well patients respond to chemoradiotherapy with docetaxel. The g…

This study tests whether offering hearing tests close to home or remotely increases how many head and neck cancer patients get their hearing checked during treatment. Many patients on cisplatin chemotherapy or radiation near the ear can lose hearing, but not all complete recommen…

This study aims to grow miniature versions of head and neck tumors, called organoids, from patient samples. Researchers will test different cancer drugs on these organoids to see which ones work best. The goal is to eventually use this approach to tailor treatments to each patien…

This study compares an AI-powered chatbot to traditional educational handouts for teaching African American adults about oral cancer. Researchers want to see which method helps people learn more about prevention, risk factors, and early signs. The goal is to find better ways to s…

This study looks at how immunotherapy drugs (anti-PD-1) affect bone strength in people being treated for cancer. Researchers will measure bone density and blood markers over a year in 25 patients. The goal is to understand if these treatments increase fracture risk, so doctors ca…

This study looks at whether a feature called tumor budding can help doctors decide if early-stage oral cancer patients need neck lymph node removal. About 524 participants will be randomly assigned to either have the main tumor removed alone or also have neck dissection. The goal…

This study is for 1000 people with oral cancer or precancerous mouth lesions. Researchers will collect tissue samples and ask participants about their symptoms before, during, and after treatment. The goal is to find better ways to predict how the disease will behave and which tr…

This study looks at whether changes in the bacteria living in your mouth and gut (the microbiome) are linked to head and neck cancer. Researchers will collect stool and saliva samples from 60 people—half with cancer and half without—to compare their microbial makeup. The goal is …

This study looks at whether a blood test that finds circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can help decide if oral cancer patients need extra chemotherapy after standard treatment. About 100 patients who have completed surgery and chemoradiotherapy will be tested. If their CTC count is h…

This study compares pain sensitivity between 40 oral cancer patients and 40 healthy volunteers using pressure and tongue-stretch tests. Researchers aim to understand how nerve cells called Schwann cells contribute to oral cancer pain. No treatment is given; the goal is to gather …

This study looks at how the community of bacteria in the mouth changes in 32 people with advanced oral cancer after they receive a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Researchers want to see if these bacterial shifts relate to how well the tumor shrinks and to long-ter…

This study is a registry that will follow at least 300 people who need jaw reconstruction after having part of their jaw removed due to cancer or medication-related bone damage. Researchers will collect information on surgical methods, recovery times, and quality of life to learn…