Clinical trials
Head and Neck Surgery clinical trials
Below are recruiting head and neck surgery clinical trials, each written for real people, not researchers. We’re tracking 338 recruiting studies, each written for real people, not researchers, below.
Recruiting studies
- 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 - 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+ - NCT07851857RecruitingPhase 3
Short course of antibiotics after head and neck cancer surgery
This trial tests whether giving antibiotics for one day after head and neck surgery works just as well as giving them for longer to prevent infections. It might help you have a smoother recovery with fewer side effects from antibiotics.
São Paulo, São PauloAges 18 years+ - NCT06868433RecruitingPhase 1
TMV vaccine alone or with pembrolizumab for advanced HNSCC
This trial tests a vaccine made from your own tumor to help your immune system fight head and neck cancer that has returned or spread. It is given alone or with an immunotherapy drug (pembrolizumab) to see if it can shrink tumors or slow progression.
Atlanta, GeorgiaAges 18 years+ - NCT05838729RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
RiMO-301 plus radiation with PD-1 therapy for head-neck cancer
This trial studies RiMO-301 injection combined with palliative radiation and a PD-1 immune therapy (pembrolizumab or nivolumab) for head and neck cancer that cannot be fully removed. It aims to see whether this approach can shrink tumors and improve outcomes safely.
Chicago, IllinoisAges 18 years+ - NCT05898789Recruiting
Virtual rehab program for cancer survivors
This trial tests a virtual (online) rehabilitation and exercise program for people after breast, colorectal, head and neck, or certain blood cancers. It may help improve recovery and daily functioning by supporting safe activity and targeted rehab after treatment.
Toronto, OntarioAges 18 years+ - NCT07618624Enrolling by invitationPhase 2
Drug combination before surgery for recurrent head and neck cancer
This trial tests three drugs (finotonlimab, cetuximab, and docetaxel) given before surgery to remove recurrent head and neck cancer in patients whose cancer stopped responding to previous immunotherapy. The goal is to shrink the tumor and improve surgical outcomes.
Foshan, GuangdongAges 18–75 - NCT06494943RecruitingPhase 1/Phase 2
Study of IBI110 and Sintilimab with Chemo for Head and Neck Cancer
This trial tests a combination of two immunotherapy drugs (IBI110 and sintilimab) with chemotherapy before surgery for people with advanced head and neck cancer that can be removed surgically. The goal is to see if this approach helps shrink tumors and improve outcomes.
Shanghai, Shanghai MunicipalityAges 18–75 - NCT05808920Recruiting
Salvage surgery study for recurrent head and neck skin-cell cancer
This study looks at how well people do after “salvage” surgery (planned surgery after prior treatment) for recurrent or residual squamous cell cancer in the head and neck. It may help doctors understand which patients benefit most, including how this surgery affects survival and day-to-day function.
DerbyAges 18 years+ - NCT05025813RecruitingPhase 2
Pembrolizumab before surgery or radiation for high-risk skin SCC
This Phase 2 trial tests pembrolizumab (an immune therapy) given before surgery to see if it can help control high-risk invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. The goal is to improve outcomes by treating cancer earlier and then following with standard surgery and radiation if needed.
Camperdown, New South WalesAges 18 years+ - NCT05595590RecruitingPhase 2
Radiation plus immunotherapy for recurrent head and neck cancer
This study tests whether adding an immunotherapy medicine called tislelizumab to radiation can better control recurrent (coming back) head and neck squamous cell cancer. It is aimed at people whose cancer can’t be fully removed by surgery or can’t be safely removed.
Chengdu, SichuanAges 18–75 - NCT07644585Recruiting
Ultra-High Dose Rate Radiation for Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer
This trial tests a new type of radiation therapy called ConformalFLASH that delivers radiation extremely quickly to treat head and neck cancer that has come back after previous radiation. It may help patients who cannot have surgery or have declined it.
Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaAges 18 years+ - NCT07625423RecruitingPhase 1
Gene therapy injection for advanced head and neck cancer
This trial tests a new treatment where a specially designed virus carrying an anti-cancer gene is injected directly into tumors in the head and neck area. It's for patients whose cancer has come back or spread after prior chemotherapy and who cannot have surgery or radiation.
Chengdu, ChinaAges 18–65 - NCT07560397Recruiting
Home-Based Exercise Program for Head and Neck Cancer Patients
This study tests whether patients recovering from head and neck cancer surgery can safely do supervised exercise exercises at home. The program aims to help you regain strength and function during your recovery.
RouenAges 18 years+ - NCT06725368RecruitingPhase 2
Chemo plus cetuximab after pembrolizumab for head and neck cancer
This trial tests a combination of two chemotherapy drugs (carboplatin and paclitaxel) plus a targeted therapy (cetuximab) for people with advanced head and neck cancer that has gotten worse after treatment with pembrolizumab (with or without initial chemotherapy). The goal is to see if this new combination can shrink tumors or slow the cancer's growth.
Ars-LaquenexyAges 18 years+ - NCT04511078RecruitingPhase 2
Panitumumab-IRDye800 during head and neck surgery
This Phase 2 study tests a targeted medicine (panitumumab-IRDye800) given around the time of surgery for head and neck squamous cell cancer. It aims to improve doctors’ ability to find and remove cancer tissue during planned surgery.
Birmingham, AlabamaAges 18 years+ - NCT06323369RecruitingPhase 2
Tislelizumab plus chemo before surgery vs surgery alone for head and neck cancer
This trial tests whether giving tislelizumab (an immunotherapy) with chemotherapy before surgery works better than surgery alone for people with head and neck cancer that has not spread to lymph nodes. It's for cancers that can be removed with surgery, and the goal is to see if the pre-surgery treatment improves outcomes.
Guangzhou, YuexiuAges 18–75 - NCT07632339RecruitingPhase 2
New drug combination for recurrent head and neck cancer
This trial tests two drugs—becotatug vedotin and pucotenlimab—given before surgery to treat head and neck cancer that has come back in the same area. The goal is to shrink the tumor and help your body's immune system fight the cancer.
Shanghai, Shanghai MunicipalityAges 18–75 - NCT07055841RecruitingPhase 2
Study of PD-L1 antibody plus chemo before surgery for head and neck cancer
This trial tests whether adding a PD-L1 antibody (Adabelimab) to standard chemotherapy before surgery can help treat advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. It is for people who have not had treatment for this cancer before and are well enough to undergo the therapy.
Jinan, ShandongAges 18–85 - NCT05375266Recruiting
Study of immune signals in head and neck cancer
This study looks at “immune signals” in blood, saliva, and stool to learn more about head and neck cancers (especially squamous cell carcinoma). It may help researchers find patterns that improve understanding of disease or how treatment should be guided.
Erlangen, BavariaAges 18 years+ - NCT04428515Recruiting
Photoacoustic scans for untreated head and neck cancer
This study tests a special imaging scan (photoacoustic imaging) to help doctors look at head and neck cancer before treatment. It’s for people who have not had first-line therapy yet and will be starting radiotherapy.
Toronto, OntarioAges Any age - NCT07857655RecruitingPhase 4
Intraoperative methadone for pain after head and neck cancer surgery
This trial tests whether giving methadone during your head and neck cancer surgery helps control pain right after the operation. Methadone is a long-acting painkiller that might reduce pain for up to a day or more, potentially improving your recovery experience.
Portland, OregonAges 18–89 - NCT07795034RecruitingPhase 2
Boron neutron therapy for recurrent head and neck cancer
This trial tests a new type of radiation therapy (boron neutron capture therapy) combined with two drugs for people whose head or neck cancer has returned and standard treatments have failed. It aims to see if this combination can shrink tumors and is safe.
Xiamen, FujianAges 18–75
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Common questions
- Are there clinical trials for head and neck surgery?
- Yes. Clin2 currently lists 338 recruiting head and neck surgery 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 surgery 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 surgery 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
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.