Blood test to detect cancer remaining after head and neck cancer treatment

This research trial is testing whether a simple blood test can detect cancer cells remaining in your body after you finish chemotherapy and radiation treatment for advanced head and neck cancer. Researchers want to know if circulating DNA (genetic material from cancer cells that leaks into the bloodstream) can be a reliable early warning sign. This could help doctors catch cancer sooner if it comes back.

After chemotherapy and radiation, doctors need a better way to know whether all the cancer is truly gone or if some cells are still present. Currently, doctors use imaging scans and physical exams, but these may not always catch tiny amounts of remaining disease. A simple blood test could provide an earlier and easier detection method.