Condition

Oropharyngeal Cancer clinical trials and research

• 15Clinical trials
• 34NIH research projects
• 7Countries

Newest Oropharyngeal Cancer clinical trials

All recruiting trials (15)

• Selective dose reduction of neck radiation in HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer

  This trial tests whether lowering radiation doses to certain neck lymph nodes or gross disease areas is safe and can reduce side effects for adults with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer.

  Recruiting at 4 sites Phase 2 University of Maryland, Baltimore · Baltimore, Maryland and 3 other locations · NCT07418034

• Toripalimab plus standard treatment for HPV-positive throat cancer

  This trial tests whether adding toripalimab to chemotherapy followed by surgery or lower-dose radiation can help adults with HPV16-positive, locoregionally advanced oropharyngeal (throat) cancer.

  Recruiting Phase 2 University of Chicago · Chicago, Illinois · NCT07290621

• Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy with PD-1 blockade to reduce surgery for advanced head and neck cancer

  This approach will try a short course of chemotherapy plus the PD-1 drug toripalimab before standard treatment for people with advanced head and neck cancers to shrink tumors and allow less extensive surgery or radiation.

  Recruiting Phase 2 Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins · Baltimore, Maryland · NCT07209189

• Lidocaine injection before surgery for oropharyngeal cancer

  This study tests if giving a lidocaine injection before surgery can help improve outcomes for patients with oropharyngeal cancer.

  Recruiting Phase 1 Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · NCT06747390

• Image-guided proton therapy for advanced head and neck cancer

  This study is testing a new way to use proton therapy combined with chemotherapy to see if it can safely deliver a higher dose to treat advanced head and neck cancer while protecting healthy tissue.

  Recruiting Phase 1 University Medical Center Groningen · Groningen · NCT06446713

• Using circulating tumor DNA to tailor post-surgery treatment for HPV-related throat cancer

  This study is testing if adjusting cancer treatment based on blood tests for HPV DNA can help people with throat cancer after surgery feel better and improve their outcomes.

  Recruiting at 4 sites Phase 2 Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · Beverly Hills, California and 3 other locations · NCT06445114

• Using biomarkers to detect early HPV-related throat cancer

  This study is testing a new way to use DNA and gene markers to see if they can help find early signs of throat cancer linked to HPV in newly diagnosed patients.

  Recruiting at 3 sites H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute · Tampa, Florida and 2 other locations · NCT06305676

• Personalized treatment for early-stage p16+ oropharyngeal cancer

  This study is testing two personalized treatment options for people with early-stage p16+ oropharyngeal cancer to see which one works best and is safer.

  Recruiting Phase 2 University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center · Ann Arbor, Michigan · NCT05894083

• Using liquid biopsies to monitor treatment in HPV-related cancers

  This study tests if using liquid biopsies can help track treatment progress and detect any return of HPV-related cancers, like cervical and throat cancer, in patients.

  Recruiting The Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Czech Republic · Olomouc · NCT05774561

• Lower radiation therapy combined with standard chemotherapy for HPV-positive throat cancer

  This study is testing whether using less radiation therapy along with standard chemotherapy can help people with HPV-positive throat cancer feel better while causing fewer side effects.

  Recruiting at 7 sites Phase 2 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · Basking Ridge, New Jersey and 6 other locations · NCT05491512

• Guided neck treatment for patients with oropharyngeal cancer

  This study is testing if a new targeted neck treatment for oropharyngeal cancer can work as well as the standard method while causing fewer side effects.

  Recruiting at 30 sites Phase 3 Canadian Cancer Trials Group · Corona, California and 37 other locations · NCT05451004

• Study of immune biomarkers in head and neck cancer

  This study is testing if certain immune markers in patients with newly diagnosed head and neck cancer can help predict their treatment outcomes and guide their care.

  Recruiting at 3 sites University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School · Erlangen, Bavaria and 2 other locations · NCT05375266

• Mapping lymph nodes in oropharyngeal cancer patients

  This study is testing a new way to find important lymph nodes in patients with oropharyngeal cancer to see if it can help doctors make better treatment choices and avoid unnecessary side effects.

  Recruiting at 2 sites University College, London · London and 1 other locations · NCT04498221

• Evaluating swallowing function and quality of life in patients with oropharyngeal cancer after treatment

  This study tests whether placing a feeding tube before or after treatment helps people with oropharyngeal cancer swallow better and improves their quality of life during chemoradiotherapy.

  Recruiting Phase 3 Jules Bordet Institute · Brussels and 1 other locations · NCT04019548

• A resource for collecting cancer data and biospecimens

  This study is creating a resource to collect health information and samples from cancer patients and healthy individuals to help improve cancer prevention and treatment strategies.

  Recruiting at 42 sites University of Nebraska · Greenwood Village, Colorado and 41 other locations · NCT02012699

NIH-funded research (34)

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.

• AI-powered predictor for chemoradiation response in Veterans with oropharyngeal cancer

  A new AI-based tool will help doctors tailor chemoradiation for Veterans with oropharyngeal cancer by predicting how each patient will respond to treatment.

  NIH research Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center · Houston, United States · NIH-11474322

• OPC Survivor: Optimizing Long-Term Health After Oropharyngeal Cancer

  This program studies how to improve long-term health and quality of life for adults treated for HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer.

  NIH research University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · Houston, United States · NIH-11415554

• Optimizing HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer treatment by selecting patients and reducing therapy intensity

  This grant explores whether we can choose the right patients with HPV-positive throat cancer for less intensive, less toxic treatment while maintaining excellent outcomes.

  NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11404947

• Biological factors behind different outcomes in HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer

  This project looks at why some people with HPV-positive throat cancer have better or worse survival, by studying tumor biology in a large Cleveland patient group.

  NIH research Case Western Reserve University · Cleveland, United States · NIH-11399180

• Understanding how oral high-risk HPV progresses in people with HIV to prevent oropharyngeal cancer

  This study follows HIV patients at high risk for HPV-related throat cancer to understand how oral HPV infections start and change over time, with the goal of catching precancer early.

  NIH research University of Maryland Baltimore · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11380555

• Biomarker-based screening to find HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer early

  A non-invasive oral gargle test is being developed to detect HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer at early stages, helping people at risk catch cancer sooner.

  NIH research H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst · Tampa, United States · NIH-11365061

• Understanding HIV and HPV-linked throat cancer with single-cell analysis and new mouse models

  This grant explores how HIV and HPV together affect immune cells in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer, using single-cell sequencing and innovative mouse models to guide better prevention and treatment.

  NIH research Albert Einstein College of Medicine · Bronx, United States · NIH-11350952

• Antibiotics, mouth microbes, and immune changes in throat (oropharyngeal) cancer

  This project looks at whether taking antibiotics changes mouth bacteria and immune responses in people with HPV-related oropharyngeal (throat) cancer and in HPV-positive women.

  NIH research University of Puerto Rico Med Sciences · San Juan, United States · NIH-11332610

• Precision CT imaging to guide personalized treatment for oropharyngeal (throat) cancer

  The project uses CT scans and AI to better predict which people with oropharyngeal (throat) cancer may need less or more intensive treatment.

  NIH research Stanford University · Stanford, United States · NIH-11311314

• Combining demethylation and immune therapy to help HPV+ throat cancer respond better

  A new approach aims to boost immune checkpoint therapy in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer by using a demethylating drug to make tumors more visible to the immune system.

  NIH research Yale University · New Haven, United States · NIH-11265319

• At-home self‑sampling for HPV-related mouth and throat cancer screening and follow-up

  This project tests whether adults can use easy at‑home oral swabs and small blood samples to screen for and monitor HPV-related mouth and throat cancers.

  NIH research Baylor College of Medicine · Houston, United States · NIH-11261739

• Better treatments for HPV-related throat cancer in people 65 and older

  This project uses computer simulations and real-world patient data to find treatment plans that lower long-term side effects while keeping cancer control for people 65 and older with HPV-related throat cancer.

  NIH research Medical University of South Carolina · Charleston, United States · NIH-11247547

• Lower-dose, personalized treatment for HPV-positive throat cancer

  This project looks for ways to safely give gentler treatment to people with HPV-positive throat cancer by finding who truly needs full chemo and radiation.

  NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11192279

• Optimizing life for throat (oropharyngeal) cancer survivors

  This project aims to find better ways to prevent and treat long-term jaw, mouth, and swallowing problems in adults who have survived oropharyngeal (throat) cancer.

  NIH research University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · Houston, United States · NIH-11180353

• Tracking high‑risk oral HPV and risk for oropharyngeal (throat) cancer

  This project follows people at higher risk—especially those living with HIV—to learn how high‑risk oral HPV starts, persists, or clears and how that relates to throat cancer risk.

  NIH research University of Maryland Baltimore · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11173631

• Finding HPV-related Throat Cancer Early with a Biomarker Test

  This project aims to develop a simple gargle test to find HPV-related throat cancer at its earliest stages.

  NIH research H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst · Tampa, United States · NIH-11115801

• Understanding how HIV and HPV infections affect oropharyngeal cancer development

  This study is looking at how HIV affects the immune system in people with HPV-related throat cancer, hoping to find new ways to help patients fight the disease.

  NIH research Albert Einstein College of Medicine · Bronx, United States · NIH-11093567

• Analyzing tumor DNA in surgical drain fluid for oropharyngeal cancer

  This study is looking at a new way to check for cancer-related DNA in the fluid that drains from the surgical site of patients with throat cancer, aiming to help doctors better understand who might face complications after surgery and tailor treatments to each person's needs.

  NIH research Washington University · Saint Louis, United States · NIH-11086661

• Screening and monitoring for HPV-related throat cancer using remote self-sampling

  This study is looking at how well people can use simple, at-home methods to check for HPV-related throat cancer, especially for those who might not have easy access to doctors, and it compares these methods to the usual tests done in clinics.

  NIH research Baylor College of Medicine · Houston, United States · NIH-11077291

• Imaging AI tool to predict chemo-radiation response in Veterans with throat (oropharyngeal) cancer

  This project uses medical images and AI to predict which Veterans with oropharyngeal (throat) cancer are likely to respond to chemo‑radiation.

  NIH research Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center · Houston, United States · NIH-11072091

• Creating a model to study how oral HPV and HIV infections can lead to throat cancer

  This study is looking at how long-lasting oral HPV infections and HIV together might lead to throat cancer, using Rhesus macaques to help us understand how these infections work and what they do in the body.

  NIH research Tulane University of Louisiana · New Orleans, United States · NIH-11065525

• Improving treatment decisions for oropharyngeal cancer using advanced imaging techniques

  This study is looking to improve how we treat oropharyngeal cancer by using advanced imaging to better understand the disease and figure out the best treatment for each patient, especially for those with HPV-positive and HPV-negative cancers, so that we can minimize side effects and make the treatment more effective.

  NIH research Stanford University · Stanford, United States · NIH-11058455

• Improving treatment for older adults with HPV-related throat cancer

  This study is looking at the best ways to treat older adults with throat cancer caused by HPV, focusing on how age and other health issues impact their treatment and quality of life, so we can create personalized plans that help them live longer with fewer side effects.

  NIH research Medical University of South Carolina · Charleston, United States · NIH-11048519

• Effects of antibiotics on immune responses in oropharyngeal cancer

  This study is looking at how taking antibiotics might change the germs in your mouth and affect your immune system if you have oropharyngeal cancer, with the hope of finding ways to help improve cancer treatment for patients like you.

  NIH research University of Puerto Rico Med Sciences · San Juan, United States · NIH-11019164

• Improving the quality of life for survivors of oropharyngeal cancer

  This study is looking to improve the lives of people who have had oropharyngeal cancer linked to HPV by finding better ways to manage the tough side effects they face after treatment, so they can enjoy a better quality of life.

  NIH research University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · Houston, United States · NIH-10933253

• Detecting early signs of HPV-related throat cancer using a biomarker approach

  This study is testing a simple mouth rinse that could help find early signs of throat cancer caused by HPV, making it easier for people to get screened and potentially improving their treatment options.

  NIH research H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst · Tampa, United States · NIH-10919871

• Effects of HPV integration on survival and spread in throat cancer

  This study is looking at how the presence of HPV in throat cancer cells might influence how long patients live and whether their cancer spreads, with the goal of finding out if some patients can safely receive gentler treatments based on their HPV status.

  NIH research University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, United States · NIH-10894220

• Investigating the link between HIV and oral cancers in marginalized communities

  This study is looking at how living with HIV can increase the risk of mouth and throat cancers, especially for Black individuals, and it wants to hear from people about their experiences with oral health care and any challenges they face in getting the help they need.

  NIH research University of California, San Francisco · San Francisco, United States · NIH-10885192

• Exploring how ancestry affects oropharyngeal cancer biology and treatment outcomes.

  This study is looking at how a person's background might affect the biology of oropharyngeal cancer, especially in African American patients, to understand why they often have worse treatment outcomes and to find ways to improve their care.

  NIH research Baylor College of Medicine · Houston, United States · NIH-10869860

• Detecting HPV16 E6 antibodies to identify early signs of oropharyngeal cancer in men with HIV

  This study is looking at men with HIV to see if certain antibodies in their blood can help spot oropharyngeal cancer early, which could lead to better ways to catch this cancer sooner for those at higher risk.

  NIH research University of Kentucky · Lexington, United States · NIH-10837005

• Identifying biomarkers for oropharyngeal cancer treatment outcomes

  This study is looking to help patients with oropharyngeal cancer by finding better ways to predict how well their treatment will work, using information about HPV and other markers, so that doctors can create more personalized treatment plans just for them.

  NIH research Washington University · Saint Louis, United States · NIH-10799539

• Using targeted therapies with radiation to treat HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer

  This study is exploring a new way to treat oropharyngeal cancer linked to HPV by using a combination of targeted therapies and radiation to help reduce side effects and improve the treatment experience for patients.

  NIH research University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, United States · NIH-10751026

• Using non-coding RNAs to predict HPV status and outcomes in oropharyngeal cancer patients

  This study is looking at how certain types of RNA in your blood can help us understand your immune response to HPV if you have oropharyngeal cancer, which could lead to better treatment options for you based on your specific needs.

  NIH research University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · Houston, United States · NIH-10747865

• Using HPV DNA in blood to detect oropharyngeal cancer early

  This study is looking at whether finding HPV DNA in your blood can help catch oropharyngeal cancer early, so that people can get treated sooner and have better outcomes.

  NIH research University of Kentucky · Lexington, United States · NIH-10674048

Related topics

Quick answers

How many Oropharyngeal Cancer clinical trials are recruiting right now?

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

Where are these trials running?

In 7 countries. The most sites are in United States (10 trials), Belgium (1 trial), Czechia (1 trial), Canada (1 trial), Germany (1 trial). Each study page lists its sites and which ones are recruiting.

What phases are they in?

Phase 2: 6, Phase 3: 2, Phase 1: 2. 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

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