Adding immune therapy after surgery and chemotherapy for advanced throat cancer

Plain-English translation of NCT06170710 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated December 2023 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

Phase 2 — Testing in a bigger group (up to a few hundred people) to see if the treatment actually works and is still safe.

What is this trial?

This study is testing whether adding an anti-PD-1 antibody—a medication that helps your immune system fight cancer—after standard surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy can help people with high-risk advanced head and neck cancer live longer without their cancer coming back. Right now, doctors typically give chemotherapy and radiation after surgery, but this trial is checking whether the medication will make that treatment even more effective.

People with advanced head and neck cancer often face a high risk of their cancer returning even after surgery and standard chemotherapy-radiation treatment. This medication works by releasing the 'brakes' on your immune system so it can better recognize and destroy any remaining cancer cells, which is why researchers want to test whether adding it to standard care could improve survival and prevent recurrence.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (a type of cancer) in your head or neck region—including the mouth, throat, or voice box
you have already had surgery to remove your cancer and meet specific high-risk features (such as a large tumor, spread to lymph nodes, or very narrow margins after surgery)
your tumor shows a specific marker called PD-L1 expression (measured by a simple test)
you are in generally good health with no serious heart, lung, kidney, or liver problems
you are willing to use effective contraception if you could become pregnant or father a child, and you are not currently pregnant or breastfeeding

You likely don't qualify if…

you have previously been treated with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 medications
you have an active or ongoing autoimmune disease (such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or inflammatory bowel disease)
you have an active infection, HIV, or active hepatitis B or C
you have had a stroke or heart attack within the past 6 months, or you have untreated heart failure or serious heart rhythm problems
you are enrolled in another cancer treatment trial or have had major non-cancer surgery within a short time frame that has not fully healed

What participation looks like

If you join this trial, you would be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group receives chemotherapy and radiation therapy together (the standard treatment), and the other group receives the same chemotherapy and radiation followed by regular doses of the anti-PD-1 antibody medication for several months. You'll have regular clinic visits to check your health, receive imaging scans to monitor your cancer, and have blood tests done. The full treatment and follow-up period typically spans many months, and researchers will track you over time to see how well you respond and whether your cancer stays away.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 4, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

China

National Cancer Cencer/Cancer hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, Beijing Municipality