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Head and Neck Cancer clinical trials
89 of 260 indexed Head and Neck Cancer trials are currently recruiting.
260 US clinical trials · 89 currently 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.
The research picture
Head and Neck Cancer has 260 registered US clinical trials, 89 of them open to new participants right now, about 34% of the total.
- 89
- recruiting participants now
- 34%
- of trials open to enrollment
- 13
- in Phase 3–4 (later-stage)
- 19
- top sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Active & Recent Trials
260 total, page 3 of 6
Study of INBRX-106 and INBRX-106 in Combination With Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) in Subjects With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors (Hexavalent OX40 Agonist)
Inhibrx Biosciences
NCT04198766
Study BT5528-100 in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors Associated With EphA2 Expression
BicycleTx Limited
NCT04180371
Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) Diffusion Weighted MRI (DW-MRI) and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) of Head and Neck Tumors
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
NCT00581906
Radiation Therapy With or Without Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With High-Risk Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors That Have Been Removed By Surgery
Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
NCT01220583
Dyadic Yoga Intervention for Patient With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy and Their Family Caregivers
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
NCT03114501
Evorpacept (ALX148) in Combination With Pembrolizumab in Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ASPEN-03)
ALX Oncology
NCT04675294
Depression and Adherence in Head and Neck Cancer
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
NCT00498875
Study of Retinfanlimab in Combination With INCAGN02385 and INCAGN02390 as First-Line Treatment in Participants With PD-L1-Positive (CPS ≥ 1) Recurrent/Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck
Incyte Biosciences International Sàrl
NCT05287113
Cough, Expiratory Training, and Chronic Aspiration After Head and Neck Radiotherapy
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
NCT02662907
Evorpacept (ALX148) in Combination With Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy in Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ASPEN-04)
ALX Oncology
NCT04675333
A Study of Tislelizumab in Combination With Investigational Agents in Participants With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
BeiGene
NCT05909904
Study of EOS-448 With Standard of Care and/or Investigational Therapies in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors
iTeos Belgium
NCT05060432
Alcohol Cessation Among Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
Northwell Health
NCT05570851
ASP-1929 Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) Study in Recurrent Head/Neck Cancer for Patients Who Have Failed at Least Two Lines of Therapy
Rakuten Medical
NCT03769506
ADP-A2M4CD8 as Monotherapy or in Combination With Either Nivolumab or Pembrolizumab in HLA-A2+ Subjects With MAGE-A4 Positive Tumors (SURPASS)
Uswm CT
NCT04044859
Study of Proton Versus Photon Beam Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
NCT02923570
A Randomized, Double-Blind Phase II Study of Adjuvant Pembrolizumab Versus Placebo in Head and Neck Cancers at High Risk for Recurrence- the PATHWay Study
University of Chicago
NCT02841748
Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging & Blood Biomarkers for Head and Neck Cancer
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
NCT03491176
A Study of SNS-101 (Anti VISTA) Monotherapy and in Combination With Cemiplimab in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors
Sensei Biotherapeutics
NCT05864144
Phase II Trial of Adjuvant Cisplatin and Radiation With Pembrolizumab in Resected Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Trisha Wise-Draper
NCT02641093
Cisplatin + Radiation in SCCHN and Correlation With Oxidative Stress Markers
Susanne Arnold
NCT02994069
Cisplatin, Nab-Paclitaxel, and Cetuximab (CACTUX) in Patients With Incurable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Washington University School of Medicine
NCT02270814
MAGE-A4ᶜ¹º³²T for Multi-Tumor
Adaptimmune
NCT03132922
PaRTNer: Patient Reported Outcomes and Financial Toxicity in Head and Neck Cancer A Pilot, Survey Based Study
Duke University
NCT03506451
Tumescence in HNC Skin Graft Reconstruction
University of California, Davis
NCT04967391
A Study of Neurocognitive Tests and Questionnaires for People With Head and Neck Cancer Who Are Undergoing Radiation Therapy
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
NCT05207098
Selective Avoidance of Nodal VolumEs at Minimal Risk (GCC 20110)
University of Maryland, Baltimore
NCT04609280
Smoking Cessation Treatment for Head & Neck Cancer Patients
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
NCT01098955
OSI-774/Cisplatin/Taxotere in Head & Neck Squamous Cell Cancer
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
NCT00076310
Study of Xevinapant With Radiation and Chemotherapy for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
University of Chicago
NCT06110195
Evaluation of Improved Onboard Patient Imaging
Varian, a Siemens Healthineers Company
NCT06187103
A Prospective Imaging Study of the Integrated TrueBeam-HyperSight CBCT System
Varian, a Siemens Healthineers Company
NCT05975619
Evaluating Safety and Biomarkers Using DK210 (EGFR) for Locally Advanced or Metastatic EGFR+ Tumors
DEKA Biosciences
NCT05704985
Adjuvant Nivolumab After Salvage Resection in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Previously Treated With Definitive Therapy
Trisha Wise-Draper
NCT03355560
Study of MEDI0562 Prior to Surgical Resection in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) or Melanoma
Providence Health & Services
NCT03336606
Evaluating a Low-Cost Therapeutic Device in Managing Head and Neck Cancer Patients With Radiation-Related Trismus
University of California, San Francisco
NCT05671861
Study for Participants Continuing From Pfizer-sponsored Palbociclib (a Study Medicine) Studies
Pfizer
NCT05226871
Using an End-of-life Conversation Game to Engage Patients With Cancer in Advance Care Planning: Phase 2
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
NCT06384417
Window Study of Nivolumab With or Without Ipilimumab in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
NCT02919683
"QUAD SHOT" Radiotherapy With Pembrolizumab in Patients With Recurrent Head & Neck Cancer
University of Oklahoma
NCT04373642
Neoadjuvant Immunoradiotherapy in Head & Neck Cancer (NIRT 2-HNC)
Providence Health & Services
NCT04938609
Phase 2 Trial of Adaptive Radiotherapy Boost for HNSCC
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
NCT06137274
Safety and Efficacy of APG-157 in Head and Neck Cancer
Aveta Biomics
NCT05312710
Study Transplanting Bone Marrow Cells Into Salivary Glands to Treat Dry Mouth Caused by Radiation Therapy
University of Wisconsin, Madison
NCT05820711
Study Evaluating the Efficacy of Niraparib and Dostarlimab (TSR-042) in Recurrent/Metastatic HNSCC
Trisha Wise-Draper
NCT04313504
Neoadjuvant Immunoradiotherapy in Head & Neck Cancer
Providence Health & Services
NCT03247712
Targeting PD-1 Therapy Resistance With Focused High or High and Low Dose Radiation in SCCHN
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
NCT03085719
Non-randomized, Open-label Study of Intralesional Nivolumab for High Risk Oral Premalignant Lesions
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
NCT05327270
Pilot Study of Imatinib Cetuximab Combo for H & N Cancer
University of Wisconsin, Madison
NCT05816785
Testing the Safety of Giving a Standard Dose of Radiation Over a Shorter Period of Time for Patients Who Had Surgery for Intermediate-Risk Head and Neck Cancer
American College of Radiology
NCT05540899
Phase Distribution
| Phase | Trial count |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 63 |
| Phase 2 | 74 |
| Phase 3 | 11 |
| Phase 4 | 2 |
Top Sponsors
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, National Library of Medicine. Data is informational only.
Reading the Head and Neck Cancer Trial Landscape
260 indexed Head and Neck Cancer studies · 89 recruiting (34%).
Phase mix: 13 late (III/IV) vs 137 early (I/II).
Top sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (19 trials), 9 others listed. 50 shown below, recruiting first.
How to read this condition's trial landscape
That ratio is a useful proxy for activity level: a high share of recruiting studies often signals that research interest is current and that new enrollment opportunities are appearing, while a low share typically means the field is dominated by completed or follow-up work where most participant spots have already been filled. These counts reflect the public registry only and include studies at every stage of design, so they should be read as an index of research attention rather than as a measure of treatment availability.
Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies focus on early safety signals, dosing, and preliminary effect, while Phase 3 studies are typically the larger efficacy and safety trials submitted toward regulatory review, and Phase 4 studies follow approved interventions in real-world use. A condition weighted toward later phases often reflects a mature research pipeline with several interventions already close to or past approval, whereas a heavier early-phase tilt suggests the field is still exploring new mechanisms and candidate approaches.
All figures are derived from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset maintained by the National Library of Medicine and are reproduced here for reference. Inclusion of a trial, sponsor, or intervention on this page is neither an endorsement nor a recommendation, eligibility, protocol changes, and site-level status can shift frequently, so always verify current details on ClinicalTrials.gov and consult a qualified healthcare provider before acting on anything you see here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many clinical trials are there for Head and Neck Cancer?
PlainTrial tracks 260 US clinical trials for Head and Neck Cancer, of which 89 are currently recruiting participants. Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.
How do I find a recruiting trial for Head and Neck Cancer?
Use the trial list above filtered by "Recruiting" status, or visit our trial finder at /recruiting to search by condition and state. Always discuss trial participation with your healthcare provider before enrolling.
Is this data current?
Data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov and reflects our most recent data pull. Trial status may have changed since then. Always verify current information at ClinicalTrials.gov before making decisions about participation.
Related
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (National Library of Medicine). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH/NLM) ClinicalTrials.gov AACT registry · 2026 Trial counts and statuses sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. Sponsor counts include both industry and federal/academic sponsors.
Every figure on PlainTrial is rendered directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov registry, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates every registered trial for this condition, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.