New combo therapy shows promise for tough head and neck cancers
NCT ID NCT04454489
First seen Nov 19, 2025 · Last updated Jun 22, 2026 · Updated 34 times
Summary
This phase 2 trial tested a combination of a short, intense course of radiation (quad-shot radiotherapy) with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab in 21 people with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic head and neck cancer. The goal was to see if the combination could shrink tumors and be safe. Participants received one cycle of radiation between immunotherapy cycles, and the study measured how many had a complete or partial response.
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This is a summary of
the original study
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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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Locations
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Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Pembrolizumab (immunotherapy) and quad-shot palliative radiotherapy
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a new treatment option for people with advanced head and neck cancer that is hard to treat.
What could go wrong
This was a small, early-phase study with only 21 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The combination may cause side effects or not work better than standard care.
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.