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ClinicalTrials.gov 89 recruiting now early-phase tilt #39 of 28,707 conditions

Head and Neck Cancer: early-phase trial registry

89 of 260 indexed Head and Neck Cancer trials are currently recruiting, with more weight in Phase 1-2.

Corpus placement: #39 of 28,707 conditions by registered trial count.

260 US clinical trials · 89 currently recruiting · #39 of 28,707 conditions by registered trial count

Head and Neck Cancer: 260 US clinical trials tracked, 89 recruiting.

Head and Neck Cancer is the subject of 260 registered US clinical trials on ClinicalTrials.gov, 89 of them currently open to new participants. 13 are in Phase 3-4 (later-stage) and 137 in Phase 1-2 (earlier-stage). The most active sponsor is M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, running 19 of these trials.

Enrollment posture brief

Registry condition head-and-neck-cancer

OPEN 89 | RECR 34% | LATE 13 | EARLY 137 | RANK #39 | SPON 19

Nearest open-share peer: Recurrent Malignant Solid Neoplasm (34% recruiting · 38 trials)

Opioid Use Disorder60.5%Aging47.9%Post Traumatic Stress Disord41.5%Head and Neck Cancer (this)34%Melanoma33.1%
Open-enrollment share among volume-matched conditions near Head and Neck Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer lists 89 open slots (34% of 260 indexed trials). Peers are matched on registered volume, not therapeutic-area browse lists. How peer matching works →

Key findings

What ClinicalTrials.gov does not surface for Head and Neck Cancer on its own pages , computed from the registry mirror as of 2026-08-08. Each line carries its own denominator so it can be quoted as it stands.

  1. Head and Neck Cancer is recruiting below its size-band peers.

    89 of 260 indexed trials (34.2%) are open to enrollment, against a 37.1% average across 139 conditions with 100+ trials. The peer set uses the same ClinicalTrials.gov-derived counts as this page.

  2. Sponsorship of Head and Neck Cancer trials is spread across many organizations.

    M.D. Anderson Cancer Center accounts for 19 of 260 trials (7.3%). 124 distinct sponsors appear on at least one study for this condition label.

  3. Most Head and Neck Cancer trials plan to enrol fewer than 100 people.

    Median target enrolment is 53 among the 251 trials that report a genuine target (sentinel values excluded). 165 of those (65.7%) plan for fewer than 100 participants.

  4. Head and Neck Cancer research is mostly interventional.

    213 interventional and 47 observational studies make up this index (81.9% interventional). Study type is sponsor-reported on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Phase 163Phase 274Phase 311Phase 42

Open and recent trials

260 total, page 2 of 6

RECRUITING NA 75 participants

Study of Non-invasive Acupuncture-like Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Altens) to Help Alleviate Xerostomia After Radiation Therapy for Cancers of the Head and Neck

University of Rochester

NCT04805528

RECRUITING NA 75 participants

Postoperative Radiotherapy for Intermediate- and High-risk Patients With HNSCC Greater Than 6 Weeks After Surgery

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

NCT06607406

RECRUITING Phase 2 75 participants

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Programmed Cell Death Protein 1(PD-1) Inhibition for Head and Neck Cancer Treatment De-escalation (NeoScorch HN)

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

NCT07209189

RECRUITING Phase 2 70 participants

ChatBot and Activity Monitoring in Patients Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy

Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

NCT05318027

RECRUITING Phase 1 64 participants

Gabapentin & Ketamine for Prevention/Treatment of Acute/Chronic Pain in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Natalie Lockney

NCT05156060

RECRUITING Phase 2 61 participants

Selective Adjuvant Therapy for HPV-mediated Oropharynx SCCs Based on Residual Circulating Tumor DNA Levels (SAVAL)

University of Maryland, Baltimore

NCT06088381

RECRUITING NA 60 participants

Prehabilitation Protocol for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

University of Miami

NCT07318220

RECRUITING 60 participants

Microbiome in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

University of Colorado, Denver

NCT05837221

RECRUITING Phase 2 55 participants

Preoperative Immunotherapy in Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Alain Algazi

NCT03708224

RECRUITING Phase 2 51 participants

Repurposing Riluzole for Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Trial

University of California, Irvine

NCT06580002

RECRUITING NA 50 participants

Intraoperative Ansa Cervicalis Nerve (ACN) Stimulation

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

NCT05650710

RECRUITING NA 44 participants

PromotinG Lung Cancer screenIng Awareness and Implementation in Hispanics/Latinx Head and Neck canceR Survivors

University of Miami

NCT06124508

RECRUITING Phase 1 41 participants

Intratumoral Delivery of Viral Replicon (saRNA) Particles Expressing IL-12 in Head and Neck Cancer

VLP Therapeutics

NCT06736379

RECRUITING Phase 1 40 participants

MEM-288 Oncolytic Virus Alone and in Combination With Standard of Care Therapy in Advanced Solid Tumors

Memgen

NCT05076760

RECRUITING Phase 1 40 participants

A Study of Cemiplimab With Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy in People With Head and Neck Cancer

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

NCT04722523

RECRUITING NA 40 participants

Tongue Proactive Strengthening Exercise Program Following Partial/Hemi Glossectomy and Reconstruction

Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

NCT07110142

RECRUITING NA 40 participants

Pilot Study of Management of Facial Paralysis in the Oncologic Patient: Nerve Transfer Techniques to Improve Facial Function and Quality of Life

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

NCT06667427

RECRUITING Phase 3 40 participants

Addressing Taste Dysfunction With Miraculin in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy

University of California, San Francisco

NCT05273307

RECRUITING Phase 2 38 participants

Response-Adaptive Treatment in Untreated Locoregional HPV-Negative Head and Neck Cancer

University of Chicago

NCT07065630

RECRUITING Phase 1 37 participants

RAPA-201 Therapy of Solid Tumors

Rapa Therapeutics

NCT05144698

RECRUITING Phase 1 33 participants

Autologous CAR-T Cells Targeting CSPG4 in Relapsed/Refractory HNSCC

UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

NCT06096038

RECRUITING Phase 1 33 participants

Phase I Study of Preconditioning Radiation Therapy With IL-15 Transduced TGFBR2 KO CAR.TROP2-engineered Cord Blood-derived NK Cells in Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer (RADIANCE-NK)

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

NCT07101432

RECRUITING Phase 1 30 participants

Dosing Study of Radiation Combined With Tislelizumab and Pamiparib in Patients With Previously Treated Head and Neck Cancer

University of Chicago

NCT05526924

RECRUITING Phase 2 30 participants

A Study of Pembrolizumab in Combination With Chemotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer

University of Chicago

NCT05420948

RECRUITING NA 30 participants

Supporting Treatment Resilience With Optimized Nutrition and Guided Exercise in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemoradiation

Renown Health

NCT07160296

RECRUITING Early Phase 1 30 participants

Drug Screening Using Novel IMD in Salivary and Head and Neck Cancers

Brigham and Women's Hospital

NCT05553782

RECRUITING Phase 2 30 participants

Antibiotic Treatment Effects on Intratumoral Bacteria Modulation in Surgical Patients With Oral Cancer

Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

NCT06627270

RECRUITING Phase 1 29 participants

NT219 Combined With Standard of Care Biologic Therapy in Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

University of Colorado, Denver

NCT06919666

RECRUITING Phase 2 28 participants

Preoperative Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy in Resectable, Recurrent HNSCC

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

NCT05726370

RECRUITING Phase 2 25 participants

Phase II Panitumumab-IRDye800 in Head & Neck Cancer

University of Alabama at Birmingham

NCT04511078

RECRUITING Phase 2 25 participants

PD-L1 t-haNK, NAI IL-15sa and Cetuximab for Recurrent, Metastatic HNSCC

Glenn J. Hanna

NCT06239220

RECRUITING Phase 2 24 participants

Riluzole For Preventing Cognitive Dysfunction in Ca Pts Receiving Chemo (REFOCUS): Pilot Trial

University of California, Irvine

NCT07447050

RECRUITING NA 20 participants

Exercise and Nutritional Prehabilitation for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

University of California, Davis

NCT06722508

RECRUITING NA 20 participants

Velopharyngeal Dysfunction in Head & Neck Cancer Patients, Pilot Study

Vanessa Torrecillas

NCT07264036

RECRUITING 20 participants

Novel Hypoxia Imaging for Head and Neck Cancer: Imaging Phenotype for Personalized Treatment

University of Utah

NCT06108089

RECRUITING Early Phase 1 15 participants

Intraoral Hypothermia Device for Preserving Taste During Radiation

Henry Ford Health System

NCT06579248

RECRUITING 13 participants

3D Specimen Maps for RT Planning

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

NCT05743569

RECRUITING Phase 2 12 participants

A Study of Decreasing Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy in People With Head and Neck Cancer

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

NCT05544136

RECRUITING 10 participants

Ovarian-Sparing Adaptive Radiotherapy in Young Adult Women

Washington University School of Medicine

NCT06904365

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING 1,150 participants

A Screening Study to Collect Samples for TAA, HLA & HLA Loss of Heterozygosity in Patients With Metastatic Solid Tumors

TScan Therapeutics

NCT05812027

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING Phase 1 840 participants

A Basket Study of Customized Autologous TCR-T Cell Therapies in Patients With Locally Advanced (Unresectable) or Metastatic Solid Tumors

TScan Therapeutics

NCT05973487

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING Phase 3 702 participants

RT With or Without Cetuximab in Treating Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Radiation Therapy Oncology Group

NCT00956007

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING NA 643 participants

Enhancing Self Care Among Oral Cancer Survivors: The Empowered Survival Trial

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

NCT04713449

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING 575 participants

Observational Study of Dental Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

NCT02057510

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING Phase 3 435 participants

Controlled Trial Of Acupuncture To Prevent Radiation-Induced Xerostomia

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

NCT01266044

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING NA 427 participants

Sensor-Assisted Prevention of Dehydration in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

NCT02253238

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING NA 357 participants

Implementation and Effectiveness Trial of HN-STAR

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

NCT04208490

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING 350 participants

Clinical Registry of Long-Term Dental Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

NCT05325970

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING NA 330 participants

A Feasibility Study to Further the Development of Lung Cancer-based Precision Medicine

University of Arkansas

NCT02597738

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING NA 300 participants

Supportive Oncology Care At Home RCT

Massachusetts General Hospital

NCT04544046

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Phase Distribution

PhaseTrial count
Phase 1 63
Phase 2 74
Phase 3 11
Phase 4 2

Named interventions

Most-linked intervention names on Head and Neck Cancer records (sponsor-reported on ClinicalTrials.gov). Counts are trial links, not unique products.

cisplatin Drug
14 trials
Cisplatin Drug
10 trials
Carboplatin Drug
10 trials
radiation therapy Radiation
9 trials
Pembrolizumab Drug
8 trials
paclitaxel Drug
6 trials
Paclitaxel Drug
6 trials
Nivolumab Drug
6 trials

US sites by state

Facility locations filed on Head and Neck Cancer trials. A trial with sites in several states counts in each.

California 58 trials
Texas 49 trials
New York 45 trials
Florida 38 trials
Pennsylvania 32 trials
Illinois 29 trials
Tennessee 28 trials
Massachusetts 27 trials

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, National Library of Medicine. Data is informational only.

What to do with this Head and Neck Cancer page

260 registered trials, 89 currently recruiting, is a starting point for a conversation, not a diagnosis or a recommendation.

Trial and recruiting counts reflect ClinicalTrials.gov registry status as of the data vintage above; individual trial eligibility and enrollment status can change.

Every figure on PlainTrial is rendered directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov registry, no number is typed in by an editor. This Head and Neck Cancer condition card totals 260 registered trials; most-linked intervention cisplatin; top US site state California. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error.