Clinical trials
Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer clinical trials
Below are recruiting head and neck squamous cell cancer clinical trials, each written for real people, not researchers. We’re tracking 441 recruiting studies, each written for real people, not researchers, below.
Recruiting studies
- NCT04747054RecruitingPhase 3
Radiation plus pembrolizumab for newly diagnosed metastatic head and neck cancer
This trial studies whether adding pembrolizumab (an immune system medicine) to radiation can improve outcomes in people newly diagnosed with metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer. It may help the immune system better recognize and fight the cancer alongside radiation.
AvignonAges 18 years+ - NCT04722523RecruitingPhase 1
Cemiplimab plus chemo and other immune treatment for head and neck cancer
This Phase 1 trial tests how well cemiplimab (an immune treatment) can work when combined with chemotherapy and an additional immunotherapy for certain head and neck cancers. It may help shrink the cancer and improve outcomes, while also checking safety and dosing.
Basking Ridge, New JerseyAges 18 years+ - NCT04754321RecruitingPhase 1
Test immunotherapy with salvage surgery and IORT for head and neck cancer
This Phase 1 trial tests a new plan that combines immunotherapy with surgery, plus a targeted radiation treatment called IORT. It is for people whose head and neck squamous cell cancer has come back or never fully went away and can be operated on. The goal is to shrink or control the cancer and see how safe the approach is.
Columbus, OhioAges 18 years+ - NCT04671667RecruitingPhase 2
Pembrolizumab vs chemo-radiation after surgery for recurrent head/neck cancer
This trial tests whether pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy drug) works better than the usual chemo plus radiation after surgery for cancer that has come back in the head and neck area. It may help reduce cancer returning or spreading by using your immune system, but eligibility depends on how the cancer came back and your prior treatments.
Birmingham, AlabamaAges 18–79 - NCT04612075Recruiting
PET-MR scan study for head and neck squamous cancer
This study uses a combined PET/MR scan to better look at head and neck squamous cell cancer before or during treatment. It may help doctors see where the cancer is and how far it has spread, to support planning for curative radiation treatment.
TromsøAges 18 years+ - NCT04564989Recruiting
Biomarker study for HPV-related throat cancer outcomes
This observational study checks how well a blood test for HPV DNA (and other tumor genetic markers) predicts outcomes in certain throat cancers. It may help doctors better track the disease and plan treatment, because the trial validates these lab signals against real-world results.
Rochester, MinnesotaAges 18 years+ - NCT04389632RecruitingPhase 1
Sigvotatug vedotin for advanced solid tumors that spread
This early-stage study tests a drug called sigvotatug vedotin in people with advanced solid cancers that cannot be removed or have spread. It aims to see how well the treatment works and what side effects it causes.
Anchorage, AlaskaAges 18 years+ - NCT04429542RecruitingPhase 1
Test of an EGFR-targeting drug for advanced solid cancers
This Phase 1 study tests the safety of BCA101 (an EGFR-targeting treatment) alone or combined with pembrolizumab. It may help people with certain EGFR-driven advanced cancers, depending on the tumor type, prior treatments, and required biopsy testing.
La Jolla, CaliforniaAges 18 years+ - NCT04375384RecruitingPhase 2
Cetuximab after immunotherapy for head and neck cancer
This trial studies whether giving cetuximab after prior immunotherapy can help people with head and neck squamous cell cancer shrink tumors or slow their growth. You may be eligible if you’ve already had a PD-1–based immunotherapy treatment, and you meet health and safety requirements.
Winston-Salem, North CarolinaAges 18 years+ - NCT04261192Recruiting
Grow lab models of head and neck cancer to test treatments
This study collects tissue from people with newly diagnosed head and neck squamous cell cancer and grows “mini tumor models” in the lab. The goal is to see how these models respond to new therapies, which may help guide more effective treatment choices in the future.
CaenAges 18 years+ - NCT04333537RecruitingPhase 2/Phase 3
Sentinel node biopsy versus standard neck surgery for early mouth cancer
This trial compares two ways of checking whether early oral cavity squamous cell cancer has spread to neck lymph nodes. It tests whether sentinel lymph node biopsy can find spread as well as standard neck dissection, while potentially reducing more extensive surgery for some people.
Birmingham, AlabamaAges 18 years+ - NCT04185974Recruiting
Carbon ion re-irradiation for returning head and neck cancer
This trial tests a type of radiation called carbon-ion re-irradiation for people whose head and neck cancer has come back or grown again after earlier radiation. It may help control the cancer after certain surgeries, but it also requires specific safety conditions about timing, prior treatment areas, and overall health.
HeidelbergAges 18 years+ - NCT04178174RecruitingPhase 3
Boost radiation for HPV throat cancer with shorter treatment
This trial studies whether adding a precise “extra boost” to radiation can work as well as (or better than) standard radiation for HPV-related oropharynx cancer, while keeping the overall treatment shorter. It may help improve tumor control while aiming for manageable side effects.
London, OntarioAges 18 years+ - NCT04198766RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
New OX40 immunotherapy for advanced solid tumors
This trial tests a new immunotherapy drug (INBRX-106) alone or with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for adults with advanced solid tumors that have not responded to standard treatments. The goal is to see if the drug can help the immune system fight cancer.
Duarte, CaliforniaAges 18 years+ - NCT04099290Recruiting
Blood DNA test in newly diagnosed head and neck cancer
This study looks at “circulating tumor DNA” (tumor DNA found in blood) in people with newly diagnosed, locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer. Researchers want to see how the blood DNA levels relate to the cancer and how it may guide treatment after surgery.
Chapel Hill, North CarolinaAges 18 years+ - NCT04119024RecruitingPhase 1
Gene-edited immune cells for advanced melanoma or solid tumors
This Phase 1 study tests a gene-modified immune cell treatment for advanced cancers that don’t have standard curative options. It may help by attacking cancer cells that show a specific marker called IL13Rα2 after patients receive “conditioning” chemotherapy to prepare the immune system.
Duarte, CaliforniaAges 18–75 - NCT03740256RecruitingPhase 1
HER2-targeted oncolytic virus plus custom immune cells for solid cancers
This Phase 1 study tests a treatment plan that combines a virus designed to attack cancer with your own custom immune cells that target HER2. It aims to shrink advanced HER2-positive solid tumors (and make future options safer/more effective).
Houston, TexasAges 18 years+ - NCT03875716Recruiting
De-intensified radiation after surgery for HPV throat cancer
This trial studies a lower-intensity (less aggressive) course of radiation therapy after curative surgery for HPV-related tonsil or base-of-tongue cancer. The goal is to see if patients can still be treated successfully while reducing side effects from radiation.
Boston, MassachusettsAges 18 years+ - NCT03526835RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
Study of MCLA-158 for advanced solid tumors
This trial tests a new experimental drug called MCLA-158 (petosemtamab) for people with advanced solid tumors, especially head and neck cancer or colorectal cancer, that have not responded to standard treatments. The study aims to see if this drug can shrink tumors or slow their growth.
La Jolla, CaliforniaAges 18 years+ - NCT02734537RecruitingPhase 2
Radiation with or without cisplatin after head and neck surgery
This trial studies whether adding cisplatin (a chemotherapy medicine) to radiation therapy helps people with stage III–IVA squamous cell cancer of the head and neck after they’ve had surgery. It’s meant to lower the risk of the cancer coming back.
Birmingham, AlabamaAges 18 years+ - NCT02507141Recruiting
Check oral cancer images during surgery using a special camera
This study tests whether a special in-mouth imaging tool can capture clear images of oral cancer before surgery, compared with the final lab diagnosis from tissue (pathology). If the images match the pathology, it could help doctors better assess tumors using real-time imaging.
Basking Ridge, New JerseyAges 18 years+ - NCT01473784Recruiting
Robot-assisted mouth and throat surgery for head and neck tumors
This trial studies using a robot-assisted operation through the mouth to diagnose or treat certain non-cancer (benign) and cancer (malignant) tumors in the head and neck. It may help some people avoid more invasive surgery by using an approach that reaches the throat and voice box area through the mouth.
Columbus, OhioAges 18 years+ - NCT00568490Recruiting
Finding blood markers that show low oxygen in tumors
This study looks for substances in blood that may reflect how “low-oxygen” a tumor is. If you have head and neck cancer or non-small cell lung cancer, it may help researchers understand tumor oxygen levels and improve future care.
Stanford, CaliforniaAges 18 years+ - NCT07665190RecruitingPhase 2
New drug combination before surgery for advanced throat cancer
This trial tests a new combination of a targeted therapy (EGFR-ADC) and an immunotherapy drug before surgery to shrink and control locally advanced throat cancer. It may help make surgery more effective and reduce the chance of recurrence.
Tianjin, Tianjin MunicipalityAges 18 years+
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Common questions
- Are there clinical trials for head and neck squamous cell cancer?
- Yes. Clin2 currently lists 441 recruiting head and neck squamous cell cancer studies from the U.S. registry, each rewritten for real people, not researchers, so you can see what it’s testing and who it’s for.
- How do I know if I qualify for a head and neck squamous cell cancer trial?
- Each study lists its eligibility criteria — rules about age, diagnosis, and prior treatments. On every Clin2 trial page we explain these in words written for real people and offer a short, optional pre-screen for a fit read. The study team makes the final decision.
- Does it cost anything to join a head and neck squamous cell cancer trial?
- Using Clin2 is always free. Many trials cover the cost of the study treatment and related visits; some reimburse travel. The study team explains exactly what’s covered before you decide.
Related conditions
- Head and Neck Cancer Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma Head and Neck Cancer (HNSCC)
- Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Resectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Clin2 helps you find and understand clinical trials and does not provide medical advice. Study data comes from ClinicalTrials.gov. Talk with your doctor about whether a specific trial is right for you.