Pembrolizumab & Cabozantinib in Patients With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer

NCT03468218 · Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 36

Last updated 2026-01-23

Study results available
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Summary

This phase II trial studies how well pembrolizumab and cabozantinib in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer that has come back or spread to other places in the body and cannot be removed by surgery. Monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, 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 pathways needed for cell growth. Giving pembrolizumab and cabozantinib may improve the chances of tumor response in patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer.

Conditions

  • Metastatic Head and Neck Carcinoma
  • Paranasal Sinus Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Recurrent Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Recurrent Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Recurrent Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Recurrent Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Stage IV Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IV Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IV Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7
  • Stage IV Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IVA Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IVA Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IVA Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7
  • Stage IVA Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IVB Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IVB Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IVB Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7
  • Stage IVB Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IVC Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IVC Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Stage IVC Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7
  • Stage IVC Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7
  • Unresectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Interventions

DRUG

Cabozantinib

Given PO

BIOLOGICAL

Pembrolizumab

Given IV

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Exelixis

    collaborator INDUSTRY
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)

    collaborator NIH
  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)

    collaborator NIH
  • Emory University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Nabil F. Saba, MD · Emory University

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2018-09-18
Primary Completion
2022-05-02
Completion
2026-10-29
FDA Drug
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03468218 on ClinicalTrials.gov