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Center for Salivary and Rare Head and Neck Cancers

Clinical Trials and Research at the Center for Salivary and Rare Head and Neck Cancers

  • Our Clinical Trial Portfolio

    The Center for Salivary and Rare Head and Neck Cancers offers a range of clinical therapeutic trials focusing on particular salivary and rare cancer subtypes, or novel pathways of interest with relevance to these conditions.

    While some trials may overlap with other tumor types, our Center aims to centralize trials of interest, and to serve as a gateway to personalizing the therapeutic approach for each patient.

    For Salivary Gland Cancers

    Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC)
    • A clinical trial was published using all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in targeting MYB gene fusions for advanced, unresectable, or recurrent/metastatic disease to understand mechanisms of response and resistance (19-224).
    • A recent trial completed accrual investigating the VEGFR-2 (vascular target) inhibitor rivoceranib for patients with advanced or metastatic ACC who have had recent disease progression (19-623).
    • A recent trial completed accrual investigating a novel PRMT5 inhibitor which targets methylation of DNA and other important proteins in patients with advanced or metastatic ACC (20-180).
    • We are currently investigating the use of intense, short-course targeted radiation therapy called stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) versus observation for advanced or metastatic ACC patients with a few metastatic tumor sites (or oligometastatic disease) to understand if early use of targeted radiation improves outcomes (21-171).
    • A recent trial completed accrual investigating a novel oral drug targeting NOTCH-mutant ACC cancers (20-746).
    • We are currently investigating a CDK9 inhibitor targeting transcriptionally active tumors such as ACC (22-361).
    Salivary gland cancers (SGC)
    • We are currently investigating the HER-2 antibody conjugate T-DM1 as post-operative, or adjuvant therapy with chemoradiation, for patients who have undergone surgical resection for HER-2 expressing salivary gland cancers. This study is aimed at preventing recurrence of salivary cancer after upfront or initial surgical removal by targeting the HER-2 pathway (20-432).
    • We are currently investigating a novel drug targeting GSK-3β (elraglusib) with platinum chemotherapy in patients with all types of salivary gland cancer (including ACC) (21-384).

    For NUT (Midline) Carcinoma

    • Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) offers one of the largest and most active clinical trial programs available, including trials for people with NUT carcinoma. NUT carcinoma is an area of active research, and DF/HCC is leading the way in developing new treatment approaches.