Head and Neck Clinical Trials

638 recruitingLast updated: June 18, 2026

There are 638 actively recruiting head and neck clinical trials across 53 countries. Studies span Phase 2, Phase 1, Not Applicable, Phase 3, Early Phase 1, Phase 4. Top locations include Houston, Texas, United States, New York, New York, United States, Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Updated daily from ClinicalTrials.gov.


Head and Neck Trials at a Glance

638 actively recruiting trials for head and neck are listed on ClinicalTrialsFinder across 6 cities in 53 countries. The largest study group is Phase 2 with 216 trials, with the heaviest enrollment activity in Houston, New York, and Nashville. Lead sponsors running head and neck studies include National Cancer Institute (NCI), University Health Network, Toronto, and Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University.

Browse head and neck trials by phase

Treatments under study

About Head and Neck Clinical Trials

Looking for clinical trials for Head and Neck? There are currently 2 studies actively recruiting participants. Clinical trials offer access to new treatments before they are widely available, and every approved therapy in use today was first tested through a clinical trial.

Below you can browse trials, sign up for alerts when new Head and Neck trials open, and view eligibility criteria for each study. Each listing includes the study phase, locations, and enrollment details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Head and Neck clinical trials

A clinical trial is a carefully designed research study that tests new medical treatments, drugs, devices, or approaches in human volunteers. Every approved medication and treatment available today was proven safe and effective through clinical trials.

All clinical trials are reviewed and approved by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) — independent committees that evaluate patient safety. Trials follow strict protocols, and your health is monitored closely throughout. You can withdraw at any time.

Not necessarily. Many trials compare the new treatment against the current standard of care, meaning all participants receive active treatment. When placebos are used, they are typically combined with standard treatment, not given alone. The trial description will always specify the design.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most private insurers are required to cover routine patient care costs during a clinical trial. The sponsor typically covers the investigational treatment itself. Medicare also covers routine costs for qualifying trials.

Yes. Participation is completely voluntary. You can withdraw at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your access to standard medical care.

Each trial has specific eligibility criteria — including age, diagnosis, disease stage, prior treatments, and general health. Browse the trials listed above and check their eligibility sections. You can also contact the trial site directly to discuss your situation.

Showing 120 of 638 trials

Recruiting
Phase 2

Radiation Therapy With or Without Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Stage III-IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck Who Have Undergone Surgery

Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaStage III Hypopharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8Stage III Laryngeal Cancer AJCC v8+13 more
ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group189 enrolled676 locationsNCT02734537
Recruiting
Not Applicable

Prehabilitation Protocol for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Head and Neck Cancer
University of Miami60 enrolled1 locationNCT07318220
Recruiting
Phase 1

Study to Assess Adverse Events and Pharmacokinetics in Adult Participants With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Other Solid Tumors, Receiving Intravenous Infusion of Azirkitug Alone or in Combination(s) With Budigalimab, Bevacizumab, or Telisotuzumab Adizutecan

Triple-Negative Breast CancerPancreatic CancerNon-small Cell Lung Cancer+4 more
AbbVie694 enrolled46 locationsNCT05005403
Recruiting
Phase 2

Efficacy and Safety Evaluation of VS-101 in Combination With Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer Squamous Cell Carcinoma
VSPharmTech Co.,Ltd.30 enrolled3 locationsNCT06959082
Recruiting
Phase 2

Testing the Addition of Chemotherapy or Chemo-Immunotherapy to the Usual Surgery for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Clinical Stage III HPV-Mediated (p16-Positive) Oropharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8Locally Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaLocally Recurrent Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma+15 more
National Cancer Institute (NCI)180 enrolled70 locationsNCT07195734
Recruiting
Not Applicable

Locally ablatiVe therApy in oLigO-pRogressive sOlid tUmorS (VALOROUS)

Breast CancerSarcomaHead and Neck Cancer+2 more
University of California, Davis250 enrolled1 locationNCT06103669
Recruiting
Phase 1

[212Pb]VMT-Alpha-NET in Metastatic or Inoperable Somatostatin-Receptor Positive Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors, Pheochromocytoma/Paragangliomas, Small Cell Lung, Renal Cell, and Head and Neck Cancers

Nasopharyngeal CarcinomaKidney CancersEsthesioneuroblastoma+7 more
National Cancer Institute (NCI)120 enrolled1 locationNCT06479811
Recruiting
Phase 2

Testing What Happens When an Immunotherapy Drug (Pembrolizumab) is Given by Itself Compared to the Usual Treatment of Chemotherapy With Radiation After Surgery for Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaRecurrent Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell CarcinomaRecurrent Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma+2 more
National Cancer Institute (NCI)188 enrolled178 locationsNCT04671667
Recruiting
Phase 3

Testing the Addition of Anti-Cancer Drug, Cetuximab, to Standard of Care Treatment (Pembrolizumab) for Returning or Spreading Head and Neck Cancer After Previous Treatment

Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaStage IV Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v8Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma+18 more
National Cancer Institute (NCI)158 enrolled177 locationsNCT06589804
Recruiting

Data Collection for the Assessment of Acute and Late Normal Tissue in Patients Treated With Proton Therapy

Breast CarcinomaEsophageal CarcinomaHead and Neck Carcinoma+6 more
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center5,000 enrolled1 locationNCT00991094
Recruiting
Phase 1Phase 2

A Study to Investigate Safety of AZD6750 in Adult Participants With Select Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors

Triple-Negative Breast CancerMelanomaNon-small Cell Lung Cancer+6 more
AstraZeneca60 enrolled13 locationsNCT07115043
Recruiting
Phase 2

PD-L1 t-haNK, NAI IL-15sa and Cetuximab for Recurrent, Metastatic HNSCC

Head and Neck CancerHead and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaMetastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma+3 more
Glenn J. Hanna25 enrolled2 locationsNCT06239220
Recruiting

A Longitudinal Multi-Omic Biomarker Profiling Study of Patients With Head & Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Tempus AI500 enrolled30 locationsNCT06163534
Recruiting

Biospecimen Procurement for Head and Neck Disorders

Head and Neck NeoplasmsLaryngeal DiseaseHearing Disorder+2 more
National Cancer Institute (NCI)1,000 enrolled9 locationsNCT03429036
Recruiting
Phase 4

Morning Versus Afternoon Administration of Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors, The Knight SHIFT Study

Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaMetastatic Hepatocellular CarcinomaMetastatic Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma+18 more
OHSU Knight Cancer Institute160 enrolled1 locationNCT07405086
Recruiting
Phase 1

Testing the Addition of an Anti-Cancer Drug, Camonsertib, to Radiation Therapy for Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Unresectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaStage III Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v8Stage IV Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v8+27 more
National Cancer Institute (NCI)39 enrolled1 locationNCT07156227
Recruiting
Phase 1

MEM-288 Oncolytic Virus Alone and in Combination With Standard of Care Therapy in Advanced Solid Tumors

Triple-Negative Breast CancerPancreatic CancerMelanoma+7 more
Memgen, Inc.40 enrolled2 locationsNCT05076760
Recruiting
Phase 1

A Study of NT-175 in Adult Subjects With Unresectable, Advanced, and/or Metastatic Solid Tumors That Are Positive for HLA-A*02:01 and the TP53 R175H Mutation

Breast CancerOvarian CancerColorectal Carcinoma+4 more
AstraZeneca45 enrolled18 locationsNCT05877599
Recruiting

Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network Study for Ontario (MOHCCN-O)

Breast CancerColorectal, CancerProstate Cancer+9 more
University Health Network, Toronto500 enrolled3 locationsNCT05403177
Recruiting
Phase 4

Methylnatrexone In Resectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (MINK). A "Window of Opportunity" Pilot Study.

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center25 enrolled1 locationNCT06162377