Circulating Tumor DNA-Informed Adjuvant Therapy for Intermediate-Risk Head and Neck Cancer

October 27, 2026 updated by: Kevin Contrera

Phase II Trial of Drain Fluid Circulating Tumor DNA-Informed Adjuvant Therapy for Intermediate-Risk Head and Neck Cancer

This study is being done to determine whether an assay called LymphDetect™ Head and Neck is a useful tool to help guide treatment decisions for patients with head and neck cancer. The LymphDetect™ assay works to detect a certain kind of DNA that is released by tumors called circulating tumor DNA or ctDNA for short. In this study, the presence of ctDNA will be assessed in fluid collected from the surgical drain that will be placed during curative-intent surgical procedure performed as a part of patient standard care. Treatment after surgery is determined by a patient's disease risk category (low-risk, intermediate-risk, or high-risk). Having intermediate-risk with detection of ctDNA in the surgical drain fluid (SDF+) may mean that a patient is at greater risk of their cancer coming back. To reduce this risk, treatment will be more intensive than if ctDNA in the surgical drain fluid (SDF-) was not found.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Patients who are Surgical Drain Fluid (SDF) positive have a more than eight-fold higher risk of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma disease recurrence. Whether these pathologically intermediate-risk patients benefit from the addition of concurrent cisplatin to adjuvant radiotherapy is unknown. Various prognostic biomarkers have been proposed to identify patients at high risk of recurrence. Tissue-based biomarkers may be less prognostic after successful tumor extirpation. Several plasma-based ctDNA assays measuring treatment response in HPV- HNSCC are under investigation. However, data is limited on the role of such assays for the detection of molecular residual disease (MRD) after surgery, particularly for risk-informed adjuvant treatment decision making. Tumor-informed ctDNA from postoperative SDF, taken 24 hours after surgery, has been shown to be a promising biomarker for individualizing recurrence risk. The LymphDetect™ Head & Neck system, will be used to measure circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in surgical drain fluid, the most proximal biofluid to a recently resected tumor, to assess cancer recurrence risk at the source of potential spread - before it can travel to other parts of the body. There is a critical need to improve recurrence risk estimates for patients with HPV- HNSCC to inform the extent of adjuvant management, improve oncologic outcomes, and limit unnecessary treatment morbidity and mortality.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
140

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Jennifer Ruth, RN, BSN
  • Phone Number: 412-623-8963
  • Email: ruthj2@upmc.edu

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15232
        • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kevin J Contrera, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Must have histologically or cytologically confirmed newly diagnosed mucosal HNSCC (i.e., oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx).

    o Patients with intermediate-risk disease (stage cT2N0 with adverse pathologic features OR stage cT3-4Nany OR stage cTanyN1-3a) will be preferentially enrolled.

  2. Must have received no prior therapies for current malignancy, except for neoadjuvant pembrolizumab.

  3. Must be able to undergo curative-intent surgical resection with neck dissection and placement of a drain.

  4. Patient is considered a candidate for adjuvant chemotherapy (cisplatin) and radiation based on the clinical judgment of the treating investigator. This decision should be made based upon the patient's pre-operative assessment performed as part of the standard of care.

  5. Age ≥18 years.

  6. Performance status ECOG 0-2

  7. Sexually active, fertile subjects and their partners must agree to use highly effective methods of contraception prior to study entry, during the course of the study, and for 30 days after the last dose of chemotherapy and/or radiation (whichever is later). In addition, men must agree not to donate sperm and women must agree not to donate eggs (ova, oocyte) for the purpose of reproduction during these same periods.

  8. Female subjects of childbearing potential must not be pregnant or breastfeeding at screening. Female subjects are considered to be of childbearing potential unless one of the following criteria is met:

    o Permanent sterilization (hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, or bilateral oophorectomy) or documented postmenopausal status (defined as 12 months of amenorrhea in a woman > 45 years of age in the absence of other biological or physiological causes). Note: Documentation may include review of medical records, medical examination, or medical history interview by study site staff.

  9. Must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer
  2. Nasopharyngeal cancer
  3. Sinonasal cancer
  4. Prior or recurrent HNSCC
  5. Distant metastasis
  6. Other active malignancy, other than nonmetastatic skin, prostate, or thyroid malignancy
  7. Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Low-Risk
Diagnostic test: LymphDetect assay

A tumor-informed ctDNA assay that uses Surgical Drain Fluid (SDF) collected 24 hours after the end of surgery to direct therapeutic intervention.

Procedure: Surgery +/- neoadjuvant pembrolizumab

Performed within 28 days after baseline assessment to remove Head and Neck Cancer tumor(s).
Experimental: Intermediate Risk - Surgical Drain Fluid (negative)

IMRT or IMPT to 60 Gy in 30 fractions (2Gy/FX) ± Pembrolizumab - 200 mg q3w - Restart post-surgery (can begin prior to or at the same time as radiation therapy) and continue for up to 17 cycles (including neoadjuvant cycles).

[IMRT / IMPT Schedule to be determined by radiation oncologist, should be completed within 42 days of start date]
Diagnostic test: LymphDetect assay

A tumor-informed ctDNA assay that uses Surgical Drain Fluid (SDF) collected 24 hours after the end of surgery to direct therapeutic intervention.

Procedure: Surgery +/- neoadjuvant pembrolizumab

Performed within 28 days after baseline assessment to remove Head and Neck Cancer tumor(s).

Radiation: Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT)

Advanced type of radiation therapy that uses powerful energy beams to kill cancer cells. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources, in which the beams of radiation are carefully customized.

Drug: Pembrolizumab

Humanized monoclonal antibody and a PD-1 inhibitor used in cancer immunotherapy that differs from chemotherapy as it does not directly kill cancer cells but stimulates the immune system, particularly T-cells, to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.

Other Names:
  • Keytruda®
Experimental: Intermediate Risk - Surgical Drain Fluid (positive)

IMRT or IMPT to 60 Gy in 30 fractions (2Gy/FX) with concurrent cisplatin 40 mg/m^2 weekly for 6 doses or 3-weekly 100mg/m2 dose for 3 doses ± Pembrolizumab - 200 mg q3w - Restart post-surgery (can begin prior to or at the same time as radiation therapy) and continue for up to 17 cycles (including neoadjuvant cycles).

[Cisplatin: 40 mg/m^2 weekly (6 total doses) - Day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36 of radiation therapy or Cisplatin: 100 mg/m^2 q3w (3 total doses) - Day 1, 22, and 43 of radiation therapy (last dose of cisplatin may be after the last dose of radiation)] (If Cisplatin is not tolerated, Carboplatin AUC 2 weekly for 6 doses may be given.)
Diagnostic test: LymphDetect assay

A tumor-informed ctDNA assay that uses Surgical Drain Fluid (SDF) collected 24 hours after the end of surgery to direct therapeutic intervention.

Procedure: Surgery +/- neoadjuvant pembrolizumab

Performed within 28 days after baseline assessment to remove Head and Neck Cancer tumor(s).

Radiation: Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT)

Advanced type of radiation therapy that uses powerful energy beams to kill cancer cells. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources, in which the beams of radiation are carefully customized.

Drug: Pembrolizumab

Humanized monoclonal antibody and a PD-1 inhibitor used in cancer immunotherapy that differs from chemotherapy as it does not directly kill cancer cells but stimulates the immune system, particularly T-cells, to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.

Other Names:
  • Keytruda®
Drug: Cisplatin or carboplatin

An alkylating agent that contains platinum, which binds to DNA in cancer cells, causing cross-links that prevent DNA replication and repair, leading to cell death, particularly in rapidly dividing cancer cells.

Other Names:
  • Platinol®
Experimental: High Risk

IMRT or IMPT to 60 Gy in 30 fractions (2Gy/FX) with concurrent cisplatin 40 mg/m^2 weekly for 6 doses or 3-weekly 100mg/m2 dose for 3 doses ± Pembrolizumab - 200 mg q3w - Restart post-surgery (can begin prior to or at the same time as radiation therapy) and continue for up to 17 cycles (including neoadjuvant cycles).

[Cisplatin: 40 mg/m^2 weekly (6 total doses) - Day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36 of radiation therapy or Cisplatin: 100 mg/m^2 q3w (3 total doses) - Day 1, 22, and 43 of radiation therapy (last dose of cisplatin may be after the last dose of radiation)]

(If Cisplatin is not tolerated, Carboplatin AUC 2 weekly for 6 doses may be given.)
Diagnostic test: LymphDetect assay

A tumor-informed ctDNA assay that uses Surgical Drain Fluid (SDF) collected 24 hours after the end of surgery to direct therapeutic intervention.

Procedure: Surgery +/- neoadjuvant pembrolizumab

Performed within 28 days after baseline assessment to remove Head and Neck Cancer tumor(s).

Radiation: Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT)

Advanced type of radiation therapy that uses powerful energy beams to kill cancer cells. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources, in which the beams of radiation are carefully customized.

Drug: Pembrolizumab

Humanized monoclonal antibody and a PD-1 inhibitor used in cancer immunotherapy that differs from chemotherapy as it does not directly kill cancer cells but stimulates the immune system, particularly T-cells, to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.

Other Names:
  • Keytruda®
Drug: Cisplatin or carboplatin

An alkylating agent that contains platinum, which binds to DNA in cancer cells, causing cross-links that prevent DNA replication and repair, leading to cell death, particularly in rapidly dividing cancer cells.

Other Names:
  • Platinol®

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
2-year Locoregional Control (LRC): SDF+ intermediate risk
Time Frame: At 2 years

Proportion of patients without locoregional recurrence (growth or recurrence of the primary tumor or other nearby structures within the same anatomical region or nearby regional lymph nodes) at 2 years from the initiation of study treatment in patients who are SDF+ intermediate risk.
At 2 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
2-year Locoregional Control (LRC): SDF- intermediate risk
Time Frame: At 2 years

Proportion of patients without locoregional recurrence (growth or recurrence of the primary tumor or other nearby structures within the same anatomical region or nearby regional lymph nodes) at 2 years from the initiation of study treatment in patients who are SDF-intermediate risk.
At 2 years
2-year Locoregional Control (LRC)
Time Frame: At 2 years

Proportion of all patients without disease recurrence (growth or recurrence of the primary tumor or other nearby structures within the same anatomical region or nearby regional lymph nodes) at 2 years from the initiation of study treatment.
At 2 years
2-year Event-free Survival (EFS): SDF+ intermediate risk
Time Frame: At 2 years

Proportion of patients without disease recurrence (growth or recurrence of the primary tumor and nearby regional lymph nodes or other nearby structures within the same anatomical region), progression, or death from any cause in SDF+ intermediate risk patients at 2 years from the initiation of study treatment.
At 2 years
2-year Event-free Survival (EFS): SDF- intermediate risk
Time Frame: At 2 year

Proportion of patients without disease recurrence (growth or recurrence of the primary tumor and nearby regional lymph nodes or other nearby structures within the same anatomical region), progression, or death from any cause in SDF- intermediate risk patients at 2 years from the initiation of study treatment.
At 2 year
2-year Event-free Survival (EFS)
Time Frame: At 2 years

Proportion of all patients without disease recurrence (growth or recurrence of the primary tumor and nearby regional lymph nodes or other nearby structures within the same anatomical region), progression, or death from any cause at 2 years from the initiation of study treatment.
At 2 years
2-year Overall Survival (OS): SDF+ intermediate risk
Time Frame: At 2 years

Proportion of SDF+ intermediate risk patients alive at 2 years from the initiation of study treatment.
At 2 years
2-year Overall Survival (OS): SDF- intermediate risk
Time Frame: At 2 years

Proportion of SDF- intermediate risk patients alive at 2 years from the initiation of study treatment.
At 2 years
2-year Overall Survival (OS)
Time Frame: At 2 year

Proportion of all patients alive at 2 years from the initiation of study treatment.
At 2 year
Incidence of Grade ≥ 3 Treatment-related Adverse Events (AE)
Time Frame: up to 30 days post-treatment

Number of (distinct) HNSCC patients with grade ≥ 3 Treatment-related Adverse Events (AE)s per CTCAE v5.0.
up to 30 days post-treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Kevin Contrera

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Droplet Biosciences, Inc.

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Kevin J Contrera, MD, UPMC Cancer Center Hillman

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 15, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 15, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 27, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 27, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 27, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • HCC 26-056

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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