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Updated June 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 1INTERVENTIONAL

Personalized, Adaptive Treatment for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Pilot Study of Induction Therapy Followed by Response-adaptive Treatment and Dynamic Changes in Circulating Tumor DNA in Locoregionally Advanced HPV Negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Personalized, Adaptive Treatment for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer (NCT06005324) is a Phase 1 interventional studying HPV-Negative Squamous Cell Carcinoma, sponsored by University of Chicago. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

This clinical trial will assess whether or not blood based biomarker testing can be used to personalize cancer treatment for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For HPV-Negative Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

With a target enrollment of 36 participants, this is a small study — typical of early-phase research, rare-disease trials, or pilot studies designed to generate preliminary signal before a larger study is launched.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - Patients must have pathologically confirmed locally advanced, non-metastatic, human papillomavirus (HPV) negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, nasopharynx, larynx, or sinuses. - Stage III or IV disease based on American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging 8th edition. - If a primary oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma is diagnosed, HPV must be ruled out by immunohistochemistry. - Availability of ≥10 unstained 5 micron slides. Patients who cannot fulfill this requirement will need to undergo a new biopsy prior to enrollment on study. - Patients must be at least 18 years of age. - Measurable disease (either primary site and/or nodal disease) by RECIST 1.1 criteria. - No previous radiation or chemotherapy for a head and neck cancer. - No complete surgical resection for a head and neck cancer within 8 weeks of enrollment (although lymph node biopsy including excision of an individual node with presence of residual nodal disease, or surgical biopsy/excision of the tumor with residual measurable disease is acceptable.) No surgical procedures or core-needle or excisional biopsies will occur after baseline scans are performed and measurable lesions are identified. Fine-needle aspiration can be performed (i.e., to confirm extent of baseline lymph node involvement) following discussion with PI if not performed on a target lesion. - Performance status 0-1 - Normal Organ Function - Leukocytes ≥ 3000/mm3 - platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 - Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500 - blood count (hemoglobin) at least 9.0 gm/dL - Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5x upper limit of normal - Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5x upper limit of normal - Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5x upper limit of normal - Albumin \> 2.9 gm/dL - Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients must have pathologically confirmed locally advanced, non-metastatic, human papillomavirus (HPV) negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, nasopharynx, larynx, or sinuses. * Stage III or IV disease based on American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging 8th edition. * If a primary oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma is diagnosed, HPV must be ruled out by immunohistochemistry. * Availability of ≥10 unstained 5 micron slides. Patients who cannot fulfill this requirement will need to undergo a new biopsy prior to enrollment on study. * Patients must be at least 18 years of age. * Measurable disease (either primary site and/or nodal disease) by RECIST 1.1 criteria. * No previous radiation or chemotherapy for a head and neck cancer. * No complete surgical resection for a head and neck cancer within 8 weeks of enrollment (although lymph node biopsy including excision of an individual node with presence of residual nodal disease, or surgical biopsy/excision of the tumor with residual measurable disease is acceptable.) No surgical procedures or core-needle or excisional biopsies will occur after baseline scans are performed and measurable lesions are identified. Fine-needle aspiration can be performed (i.e., to confirm extent of baseline lymph node involvement) following discussion with PI if not performed on a target lesion. * Performance status 0-1 * Normal Organ Function * Leukocytes ≥ 3000/mm3 * Platelets ≥ 100,000/mm3 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500 * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 gm/dL * Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5x upper limit of normal * Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5x upper limit of normal * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5x upper limit of normal * Albumin \> 2.9 gm/dL * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * Creatinine clearance (CrCl) \> 45 mL/min, normal within 2 weeks prior to start of treatment (Of note, the standard Cockcroft and Gault formula must be used to calculate CrCl for enrollment or dosing) * Patients must sign a study-specific informed consent form prior to study entry. Patients should have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. * Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test (minimum sensitivity 25 IU/L or equivalent units of HCG) within 24 hours prior to the start of study drug. * Women must not be breastfeeding * Women of childbearing potential must agree to follow instructions for method(s) of contraception for the duration of treatment with study drug(s) plus 5 months after completing chemoradiation or receiving the last dose of chemoradiation, whichever occurs latest. * Men who are sexually active with women of childbearing potential must agree to follow instructions for method(s) of contraception for the duration of treatment with study drug(s) plus 5 months after completing chemoradiation or receiving the last dose of chemoradiation, whichever occurs latest. Exclusion Criteria: * Unequivocal demonstration of distant metastatic disease (M1 disease). * Unidentifiable primary site. * Intercurrent medical illnesses which would impair patient tolerance to therapy or limit survival. This includes but is not limited to ongoing or active infection, immunodeficiency, symptomatic congestive heart failure, pulmonary dysfunction, cardiomyopathy, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance. Patients with clinically stable and/or chronically managed medical illnesses that are not symptomatic and/or are not expected to impact treatment on protocol are still eligible (conditions to be reviewed by the PI to confirm eligibility). * Prior surgical therapy other than incisional/excisional biopsy or organ-sparing procedures such as debulking of airway-compromising tumors. Residual measurable tumor is required for enrollment as discussed above. * Patients receiving other investigational agents. * Diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving systemic steroid therapy in excess of physiologic dose or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of trial treatment. * Known history of active tuberculosis (Bacillus Tuberculosis infection). * Hypersensitivity to cetuximab or any other drug used in this protocol. * Prior systemic anti-cancer treatment within the last 8 weeks. * Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or requires active treatment. Exceptions include basal cell carcinoma of the skin or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has undergone potentially curative therapy or in situ cervical cancer or any tumors that are not likely to influence life expectancy in the subsequent 3 years without active treatment. * Has a history of HIV. * Has known active Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. If eradicated, patient is eligible. * Has received a live vaccine within 28 days of planned start of study therapy.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Paclitaxel

Given as part of induction chemotherapy.

DRUG

Carboplatin

Given as part of induction chemotherapy.

DRUG

Cetuximab

Given as part of induction chemotherapy.

RADIATION

Standard Dose Radiation

Radiation given once daily for 5 days for 7 weeks as part of CRT regimen.

RADIATION

Low Dose Radiation

Radiation given once daily for 5 days for 6.5 weeks as part of CRT regimen.

DRUG

Cisplatin

Given as part of CRT regimen (7 weekly doses). Investigator will choose the appropriate chemotherapy backbone to be given during CRT.

DRUG

TFHX Regimen

Chemotherapy with paclitaxel, fluorouracil (5FU), and hydroxyurea given in combination with radiation therapy. Investigator will choose the appropriate chemotherapy backbone to be given during CRT.

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chicago, Illinois, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06005324), the sponsor (University of Chicago), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT06005324 clinical trial studying?

This clinical trial will assess whether or not blood based biomarker testing can be used to personalize cancer treatment for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06005324?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT06005324?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT06005324. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06005324. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-06-26 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.