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Updated June 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Using CircuLating Tumor DNA to Risk Adapt Post-Operative Therapy for HPV-associated Oropharyngeal Cancer

ULTRA-HPV Using Circulating Tumor DNA to Risk Adapt Post-operative Therapy for HPV Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer

Using CircuLating Tumor DNA to Risk Adapt Post-Operative Therapy for HPV-associated Oropharyngeal Cancer (NCT06445114) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Oropharyngeal Cancer and Carcinoma, sponsored by Zachary Zumsteg. 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 is a single institution phase II study that will enroll patients with T0-3N0-2 p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) undergoing resection of all gross visible disease at the primary site and in the lymph nodes.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Oropharyngeal Cancer and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

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.

Target enrollment of 50 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Oropharyngeal Cancer subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - AJCC 8th edition T0-3N0-2 p16-positive oropharyngeal (tonsil, base of tongue, glossotonsillar sulcus, soft palate, oropharyngeal wall) squamous cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary involving the cervical lymph nodes. Cytologic diagnosis from a cervical lymph node is sufficient for diagnosis in the presence of clinical evidence of a primary tumor in the oropharynx. - For patients with pT0 tumors (unknown primary), there must be at least one metastatic lymph node present in cervical level II. - p16 is strongly positive by immunohistochemistry or high-risk HPV is detected by in-situ hybridization. - Have undergone or will undergo gross total resection of all known disease in the head and neck via transoral robotic surgery. For patients with clinical unknown primary tumors, a patient must undergo both ipsilateral tonsillectomy and base of tongue resection unless the primary is identified clinically or pathologically at the time of surgery. If the primary is identified, then only resection of the primary site is required. If the primary tumor is resected with negative margins with a non-robotic surgery, such as a diagnostic tonsillectomy, this is considered acceptable and further robotic surgery is not necessary. - Have undergone or will undergo neck dissection. - Have at least one of the following after surgery: - Pathologic stage T3 - 2 or more positive lymph nodes - At least one lymph node \>3cm - Contralateral lymph node involvement - Lymphovascular invasion - Perineural invasion - Extranodal extension - Close/positive margins: Close margins are considered ≤3mm from the peripheral margins and ≤1mm from the deep margin on the en bloc specimen, unless the area of close margin is re-resected and without carcinoma. ...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: * AJCC 8th edition T0-3N0-2 p16-positive oropharyngeal (tonsil, base of tongue, glossotonsillar sulcus, soft palate, oropharyngeal wall) squamous cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary involving the cervical lymph nodes. Cytologic diagnosis from a cervical lymph node is sufficient for diagnosis in the presence of clinical evidence of a primary tumor in the oropharynx. * For patients with pT0 tumors (unknown primary), there must be at least one metastatic lymph node present in cervical level II. * p16 is strongly positive by immunohistochemistry or high-risk HPV is detected by in-situ hybridization. * Have undergone or will undergo gross total resection of all known disease in the head and neck via transoral robotic surgery. For patients with clinical unknown primary tumors, a patient must undergo both ipsilateral tonsillectomy and base of tongue resection unless the primary is identified clinically or pathologically at the time of surgery. If the primary is identified, then only resection of the primary site is required. If the primary tumor is resected with negative margins with a non-robotic surgery, such as a diagnostic tonsillectomy, this is considered acceptable and further robotic surgery is not necessary. * Have undergone or will undergo neck dissection. * Have at least one of the following after surgery: * Pathologic stage T3 * 2 or more positive lymph nodes * At least one lymph node \>3cm * Contralateral lymph node involvement * Lymphovascular invasion * Perineural invasion * Extranodal extension * Close/positive margins: Close margins are considered ≤3mm from the peripheral margins and ≤1mm from the deep margin on the en bloc specimen, unless the area of close margin is re-resected and without carcinoma. * Patients consented preoperatively are required to have detectable cTTMV-HPV DNA based on pre-operative NavDx testing. For patients consented post-operatively, NavDx testing should be performed on the tumor tissue to ensure detectable HPV DNA and for HPV subtyping. * Age ≥ 18 years old * ECOG performance status 0 or 2 within 56 days of start of chemoradiation. * Women of childbearing potential require a negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 28 days prior to start of chemoradiation. * Written informed consent obtained from subject and ability for subject to comply with the requirements of the study. * Adequate hematologic and renal function within 56 days of start of chemoradiation, defined as: * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL * Platelets ≥ 100, 000 cells/mm3 * ANC ≥ 1.5 X 109/L * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) * Aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ≤ 3.0 x upper limit of normal (ULN) * Serum creatinine ≤1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) OR a calculated creatinine clearance ≥50 mL/min estimated using the following Cockcroft-Gault equation Exclusion Criteria: * AJCC 8th edition pT4 or cN3 disease. * Radiologic or clinical evidence of distant metastasis. * Recurrent disease. * Inability to achieve gross total resection at time of surgery. * Greater than 56 days (8 weeks) after surgical resection of the primary site. * Prior radiation to the head and neck \> 30 Gy. * Prior active invasive (not in situ) malignancy within the prior 2 years, excluding cutaneous basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, low or intermediate risk prostate cancer, papillary thyroid cancer, stage T1aN0 kidney cancer, low-grade T1-2N0 salivary cancer, AJCC 8th edition stage I-II breast cancer, well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (e.g., carcinoid tumors), low grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or Stage 0, I, and III cutaneous melanomas. Patients with synchronous or multifocal oropharyngeal cancers are not excluded, as long as at least one of these tumors meet inclusion criteria for the trial. * Severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows: * Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months * Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months * Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of enrollment * Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or known coagulation defects * Moderate to severe hearing loss. * Active connective tissue disease (e.g. systemic lupus erythematous, scleroderma) requiring immunosuppression. * Pregnant or breast-feeding women. * Prior allergic reaction to cisplatin. * Live vaccines within 30 days prior to the first dose of chemoradiation. Examples of live vaccines include, but are not limited to, the following: measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, yellow fever, rabies, BCG, and typhoid (oral vaccine). Season influenza vaccines for injection are generally killed virus vaccines and are allowed; however intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g. Flu-Mist®) are live attenuated vaccines and are not allowed.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Cisplatin

Low risk pathology with post-op HPV DNA (-): cisplatin-based chemoradiation with 30 Gy in 15 fractions and 3 cycles of weekly cisplatin 40mg/m2 IV on Days 1, 8, and 15 of radiation. Low risk pathology with post-op HPV DNA (+): cisplatin-based chemoradiation with 40 Gy in 20 fractions and 4 cycles of weekly cisplatin 40mg/m2 IV on Days 1, 8, 15, and 22 of radiation. High risk pathology with post-op HPV DNA (-), excluding patients with both 5 LN+ and ENE+ or pre-op HPV DNA≤12 copies/mL: cisplatin-based radiation with 40 Gy in 20 fractions and 4 cycles of weekly cisplatin 40mg/m2 IV on Days 1, 8, 15, and 22 of radiation. High risk pathology with post-op HPV DNA (+) OR pre-op HPV DNA≤12 copies/mL OR both 5 or more LN+ and ENE+: cisplatin-based radiation with 50 Gy in 25 fractions with 5 cycles of weekly cisplatin 40mg/m2 IV on Days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 of radiation.

Locations (4)

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.

Cedars-Sinai Cancer at Beverly Hills (THO)
Beverly Hills, California, United States
Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
CS Cancer at Valley Oncology Medical Group
Tarzana, California, United States
CS Cancer at the Hunt Cancer Center
Torrance, California, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06445114), the sponsor (Zachary Zumsteg), 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 NCT06445114 clinical trial studying?

This is a single institution phase II study that will enroll patients with T0-3N0-2 p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) undergoing resection of all gross visible disease at the primary site and in the lymph nodes. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06445114?

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 NCT06445114?

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 NCT06445114. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06445114. 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 2026-06-07 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.