Study summary

Immunotherapy before surgery cleared the cancer in most patients, letting many skip surgery and radiation

Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab de-escalation study · 27 people, phase 2 · Published July 2025, Journal of Clinical Oncology

63%clinical or pathologic complete response

What was tested

Pembrolizumab before planned surgery for removable cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, with surgery and radiation reduced or skipped for complete responders.

What they found

63% had a complete response; 48% avoided surgery and radiation entirely.
No recurrences in complete responders at a median 18 months.
Severe side effects in 7%.

What it means

Points toward immunotherapy first for some high-risk head and neck skin cancers, sparing disfiguring surgery.

J Clin Oncol, via PubMed ↗ ← Back to the outlook

Last reviewed 2026-11-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.