Did you know that cancers in the head and neck area, including the mouth, throat, nasal cavity and voice box, account for about 4% of all new cancers diagnosed in U.S. each year?
Major risk factors include smoking cigarettes as well as the use of smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco and vaping) and alcohol. People with the human papilloma virus (HPV) are also at higher risk of developing head and neck cancer.
Symptoms of the disease include a lump or sore in the mouth that doesn’t go away, difficulty swallowing and swelling of the chin or around the jawbone. Although there is no standard screening for head and neck cancers, dentists usually check the mouth for signs of cancer during routine appointments.
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology and the Alliance Foundation Trials have several active trials specifically poised to help people with head and neck cancers.
Trials Specifically for Patients with Head and Neck Cancers
Alliance A222301 : High-dose prophylactic gabapentin (HOPE) to prevent opioid use for oral mucositis pain during head and neck chemoradiotherapy: A phase III clinical trial
Anurag Singh, MD, of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, leads this phase III trial testing if gabapentin can prevent the need for opiate pain medication for mouth sores (oral mucositis) in patients undergoing treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region.
Alliance A091903: A randomized phase II trial of adjuvant nivolumab with or without cabozantinib in patients with resected mucosal melanoma
Alexander Shoushtari, MD, with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer, leads this phase II trial testing whether nivolumab in combination with cabozantinib works in patients with mucosal melanoma. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Cabozantinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It works by blocking the action of an abnormal protein that signals tumor cells to multiply. This helps stop the spread of tumor cells. Giving nivolumab in combination with cabozantinib could prevent cancer from returning.
Alliance A092105: Randomized phase 2 study of nivolumab and ipilimumab with or without cabozantinib in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma that have progressed after platinum treatment and immunotherapy
Led by Glenn J. Hanna, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, this phase II trial is testing how well nivolumab and ipilimumab immunotherapy with or without cabozantinib works for patients with nasopharyngeal cancer that has come back, has spread, or for which no treatment is available. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab and ipilimumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Cabozantinib is in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors that block the action of an abnormal protein signaling cancer cells to multiply.
Alliance A092205 : Randomized phase III trial of pembrolizumab vs. pembrolizumab/cetuximab in recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous carcinoma with platinum refractory disease
Siddharth Sheth, DO, MPH , of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, leads this phase III trial comparing the effect of adding cetuximab to pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab alone in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has recurred and/or that has spread. Cetuximab is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. They bind to a protein called EGFR and may help keep tumor cells from growing. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, interfering with the cancer’s ability to spread.
Trials Open to Patients and Survivors of Head and Neck Cancers
Alliance A222302 : Distance-based exercise to preserve function and prevent disability (DEFEND)
Led by Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH , of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, and Jennifer Ligibel, MD , of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, this study is evaluating the feasibility of delivering a structured exercise program entirely through telehealth for patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy, including people with head and neck cancers. The trial will assess if virtual exercise sessions, consisting of supervised resistance and aerobic exercise training, can successfully be delivered to patients during treatment. The study will also explore whether the exercise program can help patients maintain physical function, reduce fatigue, and prevent disability during treatment. Learn more about this study here .
Alliance A232301CD : An enhanced ehealth and chat-bot enabled delivery model for clinical genetic services in community AYA cancer patients
Led by Angela Bradbury, MD , of the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center, the AYA ACCESS study is enrolling cancer survivors, including those who had head and neck cancer, to study ways to address longstanding gaps in genetic services for adolescents and young adults (AYA) aged 18 to 39, who often receive care in community settings with limited access to genetic specialists. Research shows that more than 10% of AYAs have familial predispositions to cancer in their DNA, yet many do not receive recommended genetic testing due to barriers such as geographic distance, lack of provider knowledge, and limited time for screening. Learn more about the AYA ACCESS study here .
Alliance A212102 : Blinded reference set for multicancer early detection blood tests
Led by Marie Wood, MD, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, this study collects blood and tissue samples from patients with cancer, such as head and neck cancer, and without cancer to evaluate tests for early cancer detection. Researchers are collecting and storing samples of blood and tissue from patients with and without cancer to help develop tests for the early detection of cancers.
Alliance A151804 : Establishment of a national biorepository to advance studies of immune-related adverse events
David Kozono, MD, PhD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, leads this trial to collect and study samples from patients who experience adverse events from immuno-oncology therapeutics. This trial is collecting data on side effects to help researchers better understand how to predict, prevent, and treat these side effects.
Alliance A211901 : Reaching rural cancer survivors who smoke using text-based cessation interventions
Also called Project Reach, this phase III trial led by Devon Noonan, PhD, MPH, FNP-B, of Duke School of Nursing, compares the effect of text-based cessation intervention to a manual intervention to help cancer patients quit smoking cigarettes. This study is open to any cancer survivor, including people who have had head and neck cancer.
AFT/A232403: Longitudinal screening for financial hardship to improve outcomes in patients with advanced cancer (PROOF)
Victoria Blinder, MD, MSc, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, leads this study to for patients age 21 and older to determine if monthly remote digital financial hardship screening among adults with advanced cancer, including colorectal cancers, helps improve survival outcomes. Financial hardship is a common problem affecting patients, often leading to poor outcomes related to financial worry, health related quality of life, symptom burden, treatment adherence and overall survival. This trial will use a screening intervention to see if patients connecting patients to financial navigation resources leads to improved health outcomes.
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The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology is a national leader in advancing cancer research, uniting more than 25,000 cancer specialists at 115 main institutions and 1,400 affiliates across the U.S. and Canada. As part of the National Clinical Trials Network and a leading research base for the NCI Community Oncology Research Program, the Alliance conducts pioneering, practice-changing clinical trials that improve outcomes and reshape standards of care. Its work has led to multiple FDA approvals, influenced national guidelines, and produced hundreds of high-impact publications. More than 40,000 participants have taken part in Alliance studies, and its growing biospecimen repository now includes more than 1.5 million samples, collected over the past 30 years. Learn more at www.AllianceforClinicalTrialsinOncology.org . E-News - April 2026
Spotlight on Alliance Trials
News Release
April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month
Alliance clinical trials currently open to patients and survivors of these cancers
April 20, 2026 - Did you know that cancers in the head and neck area, including the mouth, throat, nasal cavity and voice box, account for about 4% of all new cancers diagnosed in U.S. each year?
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology is a national leader in advancing cancer research, uniting more than 25,000 cancer specialists at 115 main institutions and 1,400 affiliates across the U.S. and Canada. As part of the National Clinical Trials Network and a leading research base for the NCI Community Oncology Research Program, the Alliance conducts pioneering, practice-changing clinical trials that improve outcomes and reshape standards of care. Its work has led to multiple FDA approvals, influenced national guidelines, and produced hundreds of high-impact publications. More than 40,000 participants have taken part in Alliance studies, and its growing biospecimen repository now includes more than 1.5 million samples, collected over the past 30 years. Learn more at www.AllianceforClinicalTrialsinOncology.org .