A Clinical Trial of Neoadjuvant Targeted Therapy, Immunotherapy, and Lysogenic HSV-Based Virotherapy in Resectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Launched by WEST CHINA HOSPITAL · May 30, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at a new treatment approach for patients with a type of cancer called head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) that can be surgically removed. The study is exploring the safety and effectiveness of combining immune-targeted therapy, immunotherapy (which helps the body’s immune system fight cancer), and a special virus treatment designed to attack cancer cells. Currently, this trial is not yet recruiting participants, but it aims to involve adults aged 18 to 70 who have been diagnosed with certain stages of this cancer and do not have any distant spread of the disease.

To be eligible, participants need to have a specific type of HNSCC that is treatable by surgery, and they must meet other health criteria, such as having good overall health and organ function. During the trial, participants will receive the new treatment and will be closely monitored for any side effects or reactions. It’s important for potential participants to know that there are strict guidelines about who can join, including restrictions based on previous cancer treatments and certain health conditions. If you think you might be eligible and are interested in learning more, it’s a good idea to discuss it with your healthcare provider.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age ≥18 and ≤70 years old, regardless of gender;
• Patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma who are pathologically confirmed and fulfill the following conditions:
• • Patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous carcinoma (excluding nasopharyngeal, salivary gland and thyroid malignant tumors) who are initially diagnosed and have no distant metastasis;
• • Non oropharyngeal HNSCC carcinoma and HPV-negative oropharyngeal carcinoma, stages III, IVA and IVB; HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers, stages II and III; HPV status of oropharyngeal cancer will be determined by p16 immunohistochemistry.
• • Treatable by surgical resection as evaluated by head and neck surgery; Definite lymph node metastasis and lymph node stage is not N0 or Nx. An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) physical status score of 0 to 1;
• Have adequate organ and bone marrow function as defined below:
• • Subjects voluntarily enrolled in the study, signed an informed consent form, and were able to comply with the visits and related procedures specified in the protocol.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Lymph node staging of N0 or Nx status; History of other malignancies (except history of cured and non-recurrent basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, superficial bladder cancer, cervical cancer in situ, intramucosal carcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract, and other malignancies considered by the investigator to be eligible for enrollment); Any active autoimmune disease or history of autoimmune disease including, but not limited to, immune-related neurological disorders, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune (demyelinating) neuropathies, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, myasthenia gravis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), connective tissue diseases, scleroderma, inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, autoimmune hepatitis, toxic epidermal Necrolytic Elastosis (TEN) or Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (except for type I diabetes on stabilized doses of insulin); A history of anaphylaxis, severe drug allergy, known allergy to any component of a large protein preparation, PD-1 monoclonal antibody injection, or afatinib prescription (Note: severe allergy is defined as resulting in hospitalization);
• Received any of the following treatments:
• • Patients with prior use of PD-1 antibody, PD-L1 antibody, CTLA-4 antibody, EGFR antibody, or EGFR-TKI; Patients who have received an anti-tumor vaccine; Use of any active vaccine against infectious diseases (e.g., influenza vaccine, varicella vaccine, etc.) within 4 weeks prior to the first dose or scheduled to be used during the study period; Major surgery or severe trauma within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug; Inhaled or topical steroids and adrenal hormones (\>10 mg/day of prednisone) are permitted as an alternative therapy for patients requiring systemic therapy with corticosteroids (\>10 mg/day of prednisone) or other immunosuppressive agents within 14 days prior to administration of study drug; Those with serious medical conditions such as abnormal class II or higher cardiac function (NYHA criteria), ischemic heart disease (e.g., myocardial infarction or angina pectoris), clinically significant supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmia with echocardiographic ejection fraction \<50%; QTc interval, \>450 msec in men and \>470 msec in women; and an abnormal electrocardiogram that, in the opinion of the investigator, poses an experimental drug There is an additional risk; Subjects with a known history of interstitial pneumonia, history of non-infectious pneumonia, or a high suspicion of interstitial pneumonia; or subjects who may interfere with the detection or management of suspected drug-related pulmonary toxicity; subjects with a prior history of pharmacogenetic or radiologic non-infectious pneumonia that is asymptomatic are permitted to enroll in the study; subjects with active tuberculosis, or with a history of prior tuberculosis infection that has not been controlled with treatment; Patients with hyperthyroidism and patients with organic thyroid disease are not eligible for enrollment; hypothyroidism treated with a stable dose of thyroid replacement hormone is eligible for enrollment, and hypothyroidism that can be controlled with thyroid replacement hormone treatment is eligible for enrollment (control or not will be confirmed by the investigator and/or the endocrinology department); Presence of an active infection, or fever of unknown origin during screening, 48 h prior to the first dose, or use of systemic antibiotics within 1 week prior to signing informed consent; Presence of active hepatitis B (HBV DNA ≥ 2000 IU/ml or 104 copies/ml) or hepatitis C (hepatitis C antibody positive with HCV RNA above the lower limit of detection of the analytical method), or known history of positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test or known acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); A previous history of a definite neurologic or psychiatric disorder, such as epilepsy or dementia; a definite history of substance abuse or a history of alcohol abuse within 3 months; women who are pregnant or breastfeeding; subjects (and their partners) who have plans to have children, have sex without contraception, or are unwilling to use adequate contraception (e.g., use of condoms, contraceptive rings, or partner sterilization) during the screening period to 3 months after the end of their study; Received any investigational drug within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug or concurrent enrollment in another clinical study, unless it is an observational (non-interventional) clinical study or an interventional clinical study follow-up; In the judgment of the investigator, the subject may have other factors affecting this study that would prevent completion of the trial medication and follow-up.