Plain-English translation of NCT03545256 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.
This trial is testing whether patients with early-stage oral cavity or oropharynx cancer can safely have their surgery performed as an outpatient procedure—meaning they come in, have the operation, and go home the same day. The surgery uses a special sentinel lymph node technique, which involves injecting a radioactive tracer to identify which lymph nodes need to be removed and checked for cancer spread, rather than removing many lymph nodes at once.
Currently, patients with this type of cancer typically stay in the hospital overnight or longer after surgery. Doctors believe that using the sentinel lymph node technique—which is less invasive than removing many lymph nodes—combined with same-day discharge could shorten hospital stays, reduce complications, and improve quality of life while still safely detecting whether cancer has spread.
You likely qualify if…
You likely don't qualify if…
First, you will have a lymphoscintigraphy scan one day before surgery, where a radioactive tracer is injected around your tumor to identify the sentinel lymph nodes, and the doctor marks them on your skin. Then on surgery day, you arrive at the hospital in the morning, receive general anesthesia, and have your tumor removed along with the marked sentinel lymph nodes through small incisions. If all goes well, you go home the same day and return for follow-up appointments to monitor your recovery and, if necessary, receive radiation therapy.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 24, 2026 · Not medical advice
France
Sponsor
University Hospital, Montpellier
Enrollment target
~25 participants
Started
May 2018
Primary completion
July 2026
This trial's estimated completion date has passed — the record may not be fully up to date.
Age range
18 Years and older
Last updated on clinicaltrials.gov in September 2025.
Reach out to the team running this trial. Response times vary — some teams are faster than others.
Central contact
Renaud GARREL, ENT
CHU Montpellier Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Neuroscience Head and Neck Pole, ENT Department
Tell us you're interested and we'll help connect you with the research team. We'll walk you through what to expect first — no email needed to get started.