Condition

Oral Cancer clinical trials and research

• 31Clinical trials
• 90NIH research projects
• 9Countries

Newest Oral Cancer clinical trials

All recruiting trials (31)

• Intratumoral fluorescent nivolumab before surgery in head and neck cancer

  This study tests injecting fluorescently labeled nivolumab directly into head and neck tumors to see if it is safe and whether it reaches nearby lymph nodes before surgical removal.

  Recruiting Early Phase 1 Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center · Nashville, Tennessee · NCT07741565

• AI-assisted prehabilitation to help oral cancer patients return to work

  This trial will test an AI-assisted prehabilitation program to help adults with oral cancer reduce physical and emotional problems and return to work.

  Recruiting at 4 sites Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan · Taipei and 4 other locations · NCT07562100

• AI tool to measure jaw, neck, and shoulder movement for oral cancer care

  This project tests an AI system that automatically measures jaw, neck, and shoulder movement for people with or recovering from oral cancer and compares its readings to manual measurements.

  Recruiting National Taiwan University Hospital · Taipei · NCT07509619

• Dezocine versus nalbuphine with sufentanil for pain control after oral cancer surgery with free-flap reconstruction

  This will see if adding dezocine or nalbuphine to sufentanil reduces pain and complications for adults undergoing oral cancer surgery with free-flap reconstruction.

  Recruiting Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University · Guangzhou, Guangdong · NCT07401641

• Hydrogen water oral care after free flap reconstruction for oral cancer

  A randomized trial tests whether hydrogen water oral care helps reduce inflammation and pain and improve oral bacteria after surgery for oral cancer.

  Recruiting Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital · Kaohsiung City · NCT07306546

• Monitoring circulating tumor cells in postoperative ENE-positive oral cavity cancer after adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation.

  This trial will test whether regular blood monitoring of circulating tumor cells and adding extended low-dose oral chemotherapy can help people with ENE-positive oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma after surgery and adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation.

  Recruiting Chang Gung Memorial Hospital · Taoyuan City · NCT07296250

• Using a tiny high-resolution camera and mouth-cell testing to find oral precancer

  This project tests whether a high-resolution microendoscope or liquid-based cytology can better find precancer and guide biopsy decisions in people aged 30–80 with visible oral lesions.

  Recruiting National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) · Taipei, Taipei · NCT07260344

• AI-guided versus conventional physiotherapy follow-up for people treated for oral cancer

  This follow-up will see if benefits from AI-guided physiotherapy compared with standard physiotherapy for people treated for oral cancer last at 3 and 9 months after the original intervention.

  Recruiting National Taiwan University Hospital · Taipei · NCT07237672

• Surgeon-performed ultrasound to guide real-time removal of oral cancer

  This will test whether surgeons using ultrasound during operations can more often remove oral cancers with clear margins in adults with T1–T3 oral squamous cell carcinoma.

  Recruiting at 3 sites Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet · Stanford, California and 6 other locations · NCT07203911

• Morphology of the upper trapezius after neck dissection and physiotherapy in oral cancer

  This study tests how the upper trapezius muscle changes shape after eight weeks of physiotherapy in oral cancer patients who had neck dissection.

  Recruiting National Taiwan University Hospital · Taipei · NCT07166575

• Proactive tongue-strengthening after partial/hemiglossectomy with reconstruction

  This program tests whether adding a proactive tongue-strengthening exercise using a Tongueometer biofeedback device helps adults who undergo partial or hemi-glossectomy with reconstruction improve speech and swallowing.

  Recruiting Case Comprehensive Cancer Center · Cleveland, Ohio · NCT07110142

• How TRPV4 in Schwann cells contributes to oral cancer pain

  This project will test whether pressure- and stretch-triggered pain at oral cancer sites differs from the healthy tongue and whether TRPV4 in Schwann cells contributes to that pain.

  Recruiting New York University · New York, New York · NCT07095608

• Mouth opening and cheek muscle stiffness after oral cancer surgery

  A noninvasive ultrasound test checks how stiff the masseter muscle is and whether that stiffness relates to how wide patients can open their mouths after oral cancer surgery, to see if exercise helps improve limited opening.

  Recruiting National Taiwan University Hospital · Taipei · NCT06941727

• AI-based physiotherapy for patients with oral cancer

  This study tests whether using an AI-based physiotherapy program can help improve the physical function and quality of life for patients newly diagnosed with oral cancer.

  Recruiting National Taiwan University Hospital · Taipei and 1 other locations · NCT06785051

• Comparing upfront surgery and chemotherapy followed by surgery for oral cancer

  This study is testing if starting with chemotherapy before surgery can help people with advanced oral cancer do better than having surgery right away.

  Recruiting Phase 3 All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur · Bhubaneswar, Odisha and 6 other locations · NCT06737822

• Comparing an AI chatbot and handouts to boost oral cancer awareness

  This project will test whether an AI-powered chatbot or traditional educational handouts better increase oral cancer knowledge among African American adults in the Richmond area.

  Recruiting Virginia Commonwealth University · Richmond, Virginia · NCT06682494

• Using brodalumab to treat immune-related side effects from cancer therapy

  This study is testing if brodalumab can help cancer patients who are having immune-related side effects from their immunotherapy treatment feel better.

  Recruiting Phase 1 Columbia University · New York, New York · NCT06673329

• Using AI to measure jaw and shoulder movement in oral cancer patients

  This study is testing a new AI system to see if it can accurately track jaw and shoulder movements in people with oral cancer compared to traditional measurement methods.

  Recruiting National Taiwan University Hospital · Taipei · NCT06629038

• Pre-surgery metronidazole and chlorhexidine to lower bacteria in oral cavity tumors

  This study will try a short course of the antibiotic metronidazole plus chlorhexidine mouthwash before surgery to see if it lowers bacteria inside tumors in adults with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

  Recruiting Phase 2 Case Comprehensive Cancer Center · Cleveland, Ohio · NCT06627270

• Comparing neck observation and elective neck dissection for early-stage oral cancer

  This study is testing whether watching the neck or doing surgery to remove lymph nodes is better for people with early-stage oral cancer in terms of survival and quality of life.

  Recruiting Huashan Hospital · Shanghai · NCT06623266

• Investigating the clinical and molecular features of oral cancer and premalignancy

  This study is trying to find out what causes oral cancer and how different factors affect treatment and quality of life for patients.

  Recruiting M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Houston, Texas · NCT06550050

• Using Optical Coherence Tomography to Diagnose Oral Cancer

  This study is testing if a special imaging technique called Optical Coherence Tomography can help doctors find oral cancer earlier and more accurately in patients with potentially harmful mouth conditions.

  Recruiting University of Palermo · Palermo · NCT06321003

• Combining Tirellizumab with chemotherapy for early oral cancer treatment

  This study is testing if combining a new drug called Tirellizumab with chemotherapy can help people with early-stage oral cancer avoid surgery and improve their treatment outcomes.

  Recruiting Phase 2 Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University · Guangzhou, Guangdong · NCT06130332

• Comparing two and four courses of pembrolizumab with chemotherapy for head and neck cancer

  This study is testing whether getting two or four rounds of a new cancer drug along with chemotherapy helps people with head and neck cancer do better before surgery.

  Recruiting Phase 2 Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University · Guangzhou, Guangdong · NCT05980702

• Tirelizumab combined with chemotherapy for treating head and neck cancer

  This study is testing if a new combination of tirelizumab and chemotherapy can help people with head and neck cancer feel better and improve their treatment results before and after surgery.

  Recruiting Phase 2 Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University · Guangzhou, Guangdong · NCT05941338

• Investigating the role of microbiome in head and neck cancer

  This study is trying to see if changes in the bacteria in the mouth are linked to head and neck cancer by comparing patients with the cancer to people without it.

  Recruiting University of Colorado, Denver · Aurora, Colorado · NCT05837221

• Comparing methods for closing the radial forearm donor site after surgery

  This study is testing two different ways to close the arm after surgery for head and neck reconstruction to see which method helps patients heal better and feel happier with their results.

  Recruiting University of British Columbia · Vancouver, British Columbia · NCT05740033

• Improving jaw reconstruction for oral cancer patients using virtual planning

  This study is testing if using virtual planning for jaw surgery can help oral cancer patients heal better and have a better quality of life compared to traditional surgery methods.

  Recruiting University of British Columbia · Vancouver, British Columbia · NCT05429099

• Exploring new treatment targets for head and neck cancers

  This study is trying to find out how certain genetic changes and HPV relate to head and neck cancers in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma to help improve treatment options.

  Recruiting Banaras Hindu University · Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh · NCT05382585

• Preserving the submandibular gland during neck dissection for oral cancer patients

  This study tests if keeping the submandibular gland during surgery helps early-stage oral cancer patients live longer compared to those who have it removed.

  Recruiting Peking University · Beijing, Beijing Municipality · NCT03385720

• Rehabilitation for speech after tongue cancer surgery using a prosthesis

  This study is testing if a special mouthpiece can help people who had tongue cancer surgery speak and swallow better compared to those who don’t use it.

  Recruiting University of Michigan · Ann Arbor, Michigan · NCT02584270

NIH-funded research (newest 40 of 90)

Early-stage science funded by the US National Institutes of Health. Most of these projects don't enroll patients, but they show what is being worked on.

• Mobile platform using AI to screen for oral cancer in low-resource communities

  A low-cost, AI-powered mobile tool helps frontline healthcare workers screen for oral cancer and triage patients in communities with limited access to specialists.

  NIH research University of Arizona · Tucson, United States · NIH-11614476

• Endosomal signaling and cancer pain control in oral cancer

  A study to understand how signals inside nerve cells and supportive cells contribute to pain in people with oral cancer.

  NIH research New York University · New York, United States · NIH-11607374

• Affordable AI-enabled point-of-care tool for quick oral cancer checks

  A low-cost AI-powered imaging module helps clinicians screen for oral cancer at the point of care, especially in community and resource-limited settings.

  NIH research Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC · Niskayuna, United States · NIH-11535396

• How tissue stiffness affects oral cancer spread

  A researcher at UC San Diego is studying how the stiffness of mouth tissue influences the behavior of oral cancer cells in people.

  NIH research University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11535333

• Intraoperative fluorescence lifetime imaging to guide oral cancer surgery

  A surgeon-friendly imaging system uses fluorescence lifetime signals and real-time MRI/CT alignment to help remove only cancerous tissue during oral cancer operations.

  NIH research Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary · Boston, United States · NIH-11448170

• Point-of-Care AI Image Tool for Early Oral Cancer Detection

  A new, affordable AI-powered tool helps frontline clinicians screen for oral cancer early by using a low-cost imaging module at the point of care.

  NIH research Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC · Niskayuna, United States · NIH-11416740

• Low-cost, at-your-hands test to detect oral cancer early in low-resource settings

  A small, inexpensive test using a cheek or mouth rinse could help people in low-resource areas find oral cancer early.

  NIH research Vigilant Laboratories LLC · Pinecrest, United States · NIH-11401361

• Epigenetics of oral HPV-related mouth and throat cancer in people with HIV in Nigeria

  This project looks for DNA markers in people living with HIV in Nigeria to find who has or might develop HPV-related mouth and throat cancers.

  NIH research Northwestern University · Chicago, United States · NIH-11401243

• Bitter taste receptors in oral cancer immune cells

  A woman or man with oral cancer could benefit from new ways to boost the body’s own immune attack on tumors by targeting taste receptors on immune cells.

  NIH research University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, United States · NIH-11398223

• Low-cost AI imaging to detect mouth cancer early

  A portable, affordable AI-enabled imaging tool that screens people for oral (mouth) cancer and helps get those with suspicious findings referred to care quickly.

  NIH research Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC · Niskayuna, United States · NIH-11398003

• Truncated TrkB and Oral Cancer Pain in Head and Neck Cancer

  This project looks at a specific brain receptor told to influence pain in people with oral cancer to find new ways to reduce pain without heavy opioids.

  NIH research University of Texas Hlth Science Center · San Antonio, United States · NIH-11393082

• Non-invasive, chairside test to quickly screen for oral cancer

  A rapid, noninvasive oral check using a fluorescence immunoassay to help decide if a biopsy is needed for suspected oral cancer.

  NIH research Case Western Reserve University · Cleveland, United States · NIH-11390383

• How the stiffness of mouth tissue affects the spread of oral cancer

  This NIH grant looks at how the stiffness of oral tissue influences the behavior of oral cancer cells and their ability to spread in people.

  NIH research University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11384087

• Understanding how mouth cancer proteases drive pain in patients

  This NIH grant looks at how enzymes in oral cancer tumors may cause pain, aiming to connect specific proteases with how patients feel pain.

  NIH research New York University · New York, United States · NIH-11383790

• How tissue stiffness influences oral cancer spread

  Seeing whether stiffer tissues around oral cancers make tumor cells change and spread in adults with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

  NIH research University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11378945

• Targeting EGFR/HER3/HER2 signaling to improve therapy for oral cancer

  A research project aims to find new ways to treat oral cancer by hitting specific cancer signaling networks to boost how well immunotherapies work.

  NIH research University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11375190

• Oral microbiome and inflammation in treated oral cancer patients

  This grant supports research on how the mouth's microbiome and inflammation affect people who have been treated for oral cancer.

  NIH research University of California Los Angeles · Los Angeles, United States · NIH-11374782

• Oral cancer outcomes and Medicaid dental coverage

  This project looks at whether having Medicaid dental benefits and visiting the dentist regularly affect how early oral cancer is found and how long people live after diagnosis.

  NIH research University of Florida · Gainesville, United States · NIH-11373575

• Blocking HB-EGF and trigeminal EGFR to reduce oral cancer pain and opioid tolerance

  Blocking HB-EGF and EGFR signals in trigeminal nerve cells to try to reduce severe mouth cancer pain and slow opioid tolerance for people with oral cancer.

  NIH research New York University · New York, United States · NIH-11372499

• Reprogramming the tumor-immune interface in oral cancer

  A Stanford-led project aims to help people with oral cancer by making the immune system better at recognizing and attacking tumor cells.

  NIH research Stanford University · Stanford, United States · NIH-11364966

• Topical chemotherapy patch for early oral cancer (Stage 0) to support a phase 3 trial

  A new topical patch delivering chemotherapy directly to the tumor is being tested to help people with very early oral cancer.

  NIH research Privo Technologies, LLC · Peabody, United States · NIH-11361063

• Continuous flow production of antibody-loaded nanoparticles for non-opioid oral cancer pain relief

  A non-opioid approach using antibody-packed nanoparticles is being developed to relieve oral cancer pain and improve quality of life.

  NIH research New York University · New York, United States · NIH-11355746

• Harnessing the nervous system to overcome immunotherapy resistance in oral cancer

  Aims to understand how nerves in oral cancer affect the immune system and help immunotherapy work better for patients.

  NIH research University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · Houston, United States · NIH-11355563

• Sex differences in the immune environment of oral cancer

  This grant looks at how sex differences affect the immune environment in oral cancer and how that could guide more personalized treatments.

  NIH research University of Colorado Denver · Aurora, UNITED STATES · NIH-11353918

• ESCRT-based control of EGFR, EMT, and oral cancer growth

  Aiming to understand how a cellular trafficking system (ESCRT) controls EGFR signaling to influence EMT and tumor growth in oral cancer patients.

  NIH research Medical University of South Carolina · Charleston, United States · NIH-11353804

• Precision DNA methylation test to reduce oral cancer disparities in African American patients in low-resource settings

  A new DNA methylation test aims to improve oral cancer diagnosis accuracy for African American adults in underserved communities.

  NIH research Lifegene-Biomarks, INC. · San Juan, United States · NIH-11337629

• Understanding how HIV treatment affects HPV-related oral cancer progression

  This grant looks at how HAART, the HIV treatment, might influence the development and progression of HPV-related oral cancer and which patients could be most at risk.

  NIH research Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr · Hershey, United States · NIH-11331252

• Blocking a cancer-related protein to slow mouth (oral) cancer and change immune cells

  This project looks at whether stopping a protein process called eIF5A hypusination can slow tumor growth and make immune cells in people with oral (mouth) cancer less supportive of the tumor.

  NIH research University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, United States · NIH-11326696

• Boosting cetuximab response in oral cancer by targeting mitochondrial complex I

  This work tries adding a drug that blocks a mitochondrial enzyme to help cetuximab work better for people with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11322613

• SaberGel: a new gel-based therapy to help treat oral cancer

  A new gel-based treatment delivers cancer-fighting drugs directly into oral tumors to boost immune attack while reducing side effects.

  NIH research Rice University · Houston, United States · NIH-11317653

• Stopping precancerous mouth lesions from becoming oral cancer by targeting cell-growth signals

  Using drugs that block the PI3K/mTOR cell-growth pathway — including the diabetes medicine metformin — to try to prevent precancerous mouth lesions from turning into oral cancer in people with those lesions.

  NIH research University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11311828

• Finding immune T cells that target oral cancer

  Researchers are using single-cell testing to find and grow immune T cells that can specifically attack oral squamous cell carcinoma for people with this cancer.

  NIH research Medical College of Wisconsin · Milwaukee, United States · NIH-11309552

• Mobile AI-powered oral cancer screening platform for low-resource settings

  A small, affordable mobile tool using AI and a stain-free imaging method helps frontline health workers spot suspicious oral lesions early.

  NIH research University of Arizona · Tucson, United States · NIH-11306805

• Probiotic therapy to fight oral cancer by delivering immune-activating treatment

  A patient-friendly approach using a safe oral bacteria to deliver a new immune-boosting therapy directly to oral tumors to help fight oral cancer.

  NIH research Purdue University · West Lafayette, United States · NIH-11287500

• Boosting immune therapy in oral/head-and-neck cancer with chemokines

  This research gives immune-signaling proteins called chemokines into oral tumors to attract and activate killer immune cells and help immunotherapy work better for people with HPV-negative head and neck cancer.

  NIH research University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11284019

• A DNA test to help reduce oral cancer disparities in African Americans living in low-resource areas

  This study is working on a special DNA test to help doctors better diagnose and treat oral cancer in African American patients, especially those who may not have easy access to healthcare, so they can catch the disease earlier and improve their chances of recovery.

  NIH research Lifegene-Biomarks, INC. · San Juan, United States · NIH-11265166

• Targeting ARF1 to boost the immune attack on oral cancer

  Researchers are testing a new compound that blocks the ARF1 protein to help the immune system kill oral cancer cells.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11249643

• The oral microbiome and metabolism in oral cancer

  This research explores how the tiny living organisms in our mouths and their byproducts might contribute to oral cancer.

  NIH research University of Colorado Denver · Aurora, UNITED STATES · NIH-11194426

• Low-cost AI imaging to detect oral cancer at the point of care

  An affordable AI-powered imaging and telecytology system aims to detect oral cancer from brush biopsy slides for people seen in community clinics, especially in rural areas.

  NIH research Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, INC · Niskayuna, United States · NIH-11192775

• Oral HPV-related mouth and throat cancer risk in people with HIV in Nigeria

  This project looks for DNA changes in mouth samples that could help spot and predict HPV-related mouth and throat cancers in people living with HIV in Nigeria.

  NIH research Northwestern University · Chicago, United States · NIH-11167776

Related topics

Quick answers

How many Oral Cancer clinical trials are recruiting right now?

31, as of November 12, 2026. We update this list each time we refresh our data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

Where are these trials running?

In 9 countries. The most sites are in United States (10 trials), Taiwan (10 trials), China (6 trials), India (2 trials), Canada (2 trials). Each study page lists its sites and which ones are recruiting.

What phases are they in?

Phase 2: 4, Early Phase 1: 1, Phase 3: 1, Phase 1: 1. Trials with no phase listed are usually device, behavioural or observational studies.

How do I join one?

Open a study, check the "Is this trial a fit for you?" section, then contact the study team listed on the page. They will ask a few screening questions. Asking is free and does not commit you to anything. Talk it over with your doctor first.

Find the studies that fit you

A list is a starting point. Tell us your situation in your own words and we'll rank the studies that match and explain why. It's free and needs no account.

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