Recruiting

Testing a new immune cell therapy combination for advanced head and neck cancer

Plain-English translation of NCT06239220 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated June 2026 · 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 trial is testing whether — modified immune cells designed to fight cancer — works better when combined with two other immune-boosting medications in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. The study involves about 25 people who have already received at least one prior immunotherapy treatment. Researchers want to see if this combination can help shrink tumors and improve how long people survive.

Head and neck cancer often comes back or spreads even after patients receive standard immunotherapy treatments. This medication represents a newer approach using genetically modified immune cells that may work better in combination with other cancer-fighting drugs to help the body's immune system defeat cancer cells that have become resistant to earlier treatments.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has returned, spread to other parts of your body, or cannot be surgically removed
you have at least one tumor that can be measured on a CT or MRI scan that is at least 1 centimeter in size
you have received 1 or 2 prior lines of chemotherapy or immunotherapy for your advanced cancer, including at least one anti-PD-1/L1 treatment
you are at least 18 years old
you have adequate kidney, liver, heart, and bone marrow function as shown by recent blood tests
you are willing to use effective birth control during the study and for 4 months after treatment ends

You likely don't qualify if…

you have received 3 or more prior lines of systemic therapy for your cancer
you have not fully recovered from side effects of your previous cancer treatments (more than 2 weeks since your last treatment)
you are pregnant, nursing, or unwilling to use birth control during the study
you have serious organ function problems that would make it unsafe to receive this treatment
you are currently enrolled in another cancer treatment trial

What participation looks like

You will visit the clinic every 2 weeks to receive the study treatment for at least 1 year. Each treatment cycle lasts 28 days, and you will receive injections of the modified immune cells and medications on specific days. You will have imaging scans (CT, MRI, or PET) every 8 weeks to see if the treatment is working, blood tests to check your health, and heart monitoring. After you finish treatment, you will have follow-up visits every 3–4 months for 3 years, then every 6–12 months for up to 15 years total, because the FDA requires long-term monitoring for patients who receive genetically modified cells.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 24, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(2 sites)

United States

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts