New vaccine and immune therapy combination for head and neck cancer

Plain-English translation of NCT07572864 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated September 2026 · Translation generated August 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 a new combination approach for people with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. You would receive an combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors — medications that help your immune system fight cancer — both before and after surgery. The goal is to help your body's immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.

Standard immune therapy alone has not been strong enough to eliminate all cancer cells before surgery — only about 3% of patients achieve a complete response. This trial is exploring whether adding a specially designed vaccine can 'wake up' your immune system more powerfully, working together with the medication to achieve deeper responses and improve long-term survival.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are 18 years or older
you have been diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma at stage II-IVB that has tested positive for a specific protein marker called IMP3
your cancer can be surgically removed according to your medical team's evaluation
you are in good overall health with a performance status score of 0 or 1 (able to carry out daily activities with little to no limitation)
your blood counts, liver, kidney, and clotting function are at acceptable levels on recent blood tests
you are willing and able to commit to the treatment schedule and follow-up visits

You likely don't qualify if…

you have had another cancer diagnosis within the past 5 years (with limited exceptions for skin cancers or very early cancers)
you have an active autoimmune disease or significant history of autoimmune conditions such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, or inflammatory bowel disease
you have severe bleeding problems, very low platelet counts, or conditions that make injections unsafe
you are allergic to any of the study drugs, vaccines, or have had severe allergic reactions in the past such as anaphylaxis

What participation looks like

You would receive the vaccine and immune medication as injections and/or infusions before undergoing surgery to remove your tumor. After surgery heals, you would continue receiving the combination therapy as follow-up treatment. You would attend regular clinic visits for blood tests, imaging scans, and health assessments to monitor how well the treatment is working and to watch for any side effects. The study is small (enrolling about 9 patients) and is taking place at a single medical center.

New vaccine and immune therapy combination for head and neck cancer

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(2 sites)