Clinical trialUNITERARE2 days ago
Researchers are testing a new treatment for head and neck cancer that comes back after radiation therapy. The treatment combines radiation therapy again with a drug called chidamide, which helps boost the body's immune system to fight cancer cells. This is an early-stage study (Phase 1) just starting to recruit patients in 2026.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers a potential new option for patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who have limited treatment choices after their cancer returns following initial radiation therapy.
ResearchPUBMEDApr 29
Researchers in the Netherlands are creating a large database to collect information about small intestinal adenocarcinoma, a rare type of cancer that starts in the small intestine. They're gathering medical records, tumor samples, and patient feedback to better understand how this cancer develops and which treatments work best. This study is important because doctors currently don't have enough information to know the best way to treat this disease.
WHY IT MATTERSFor the first time, patients with small intestinal adenocarcinoma will have their disease studied systematically in a large prospective cohort, which could lead to treatment recommendations tailored specifically to this rare cancer instead of borrowed from other gastrointestinal cancers.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSApr 17
Researchers are testing a new treatment called IFx-Hu2.0 combined with a cancer drug called pembrolizumab for people with Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer. In this study, some patients will receive the new treatment while others receive a placebo (fake treatment) to see which works better. The trial is looking for 118 adults to participate and is currently accepting new patients.
WHY IT MATTERSThis is the first Phase 2/3 trial testing IFx-Hu2.0 as an add-on therapy for Merkel cell carcinoma, offering checkpoint inhibitor-naïve patients a potential new treatment option beyond standard pembrolizumab alone.
Clinical trialUNITERAREApr 15
Researchers are testing a new cancer treatment that combines two approaches: a chemotherapy drug called temozolomide and a vaccine called SurVaxM that trains the immune system to fight cancer cells. This trial is for patients with neuroendocrine carcinomas (rare cancers in hormone-producing cells) that are spreading and getting worse despite other treatments. The study is now accepting patients and will run through 2026.
WHY IT MATTERSThis is one of the first trials testing an immunotherapy vaccine specifically for metastatic neuroendocrine carcinomas, offering a potential new option for patients whose cancer has progressed on standard treatments.
Clinical trialUNITERAREApr 5
Researchers are looking for patients with a rare cancer called adrenocortical carcinoma that has come back after surgery. This study will test whether giving radiation therapy before surgery helps remove the cancer more effectively. The trial is just starting and will enroll patients beginning in April 2026.
WHY IT MATTERSThis is the first Phase 1 trial testing preoperative radiation for recurrent adrenocortical carcinoma, offering eligible patients access to a potentially new treatment approach before it becomes widely available.
Clinical trialUNITERAREApr 3
Researchers are testing a new combination of three drugs (RBS2418, tremelimumab, and durvalumab) to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer that cannot be surgically removed. This is an early-stage clinical trial (Phase 2) that is currently accepting patients. The study aims to see if combining these drugs works better than existing treatments.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers eligible patients with advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma access to a novel three-drug combination that may provide a new treatment option beyond current standard therapies.
Clinical trialUNITERAREApr 3
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin are testing a new combination of two cancer treatments called Hepzato Kit and Opdualag for patients with melanoma (a type of skin cancer) that has spread to the liver. This is an early-stage study that started in 2026 and is currently looking for patients to participate. The goal is to see if this combination can help people whose cancer has spread to multiple parts of their body.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers patients with metastatic melanoma and liver involvement access to a novel combination therapy at a major academic medical center, potentially providing treatment options for a particularly aggressive cancer presentation.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSApr 1
This is a continuation study for patients who are already taking the cancer drugs dabrafenib and/or trametinib and have done well on them. If your doctor thinks you're still benefiting from these medications after your original trial ends, you may be able to keep taking them through this new study. The study is looking for about 100 patients with various types of cancer including melanoma, lung cancer, and brain tumors.
WHY IT MATTERSThis rollover study allows patients whose cancers are responding well to dabrafenib and/or trametinib to continue access to these drugs after their original trial ends, rather than losing treatment.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 27
Researchers are testing a new combination treatment for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare type of skin cancer. The study combines a drug called avelumab with either a radioactive therapy or radiation treatment. The trial is currently enrolling patients and aims to see if this combination is safe and effective at fighting the cancer.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma access to a novel combination therapy that may provide additional treatment options beyond standard care, though enrollment is currently closed.
ResearchPUBMEDMar 26
Doctors found a very rare type of cancer in a woman's urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body). This cancer, called clear cell adenocarcinoma, is so uncommon that only a few cases have ever been reported. The article describes how doctors used special imaging scans (MRI and PET/CT) to find and diagnose this cancer.
WHY IT MATTERSThis case report helps doctors recognize and diagnose primary clear cell adenocarcinoma of the female urethra earlier, since it's so rare that many physicians may never encounter it in their careers.
ResearchCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers completed a study testing whether an artificial intelligence tool can help regular doctors better diagnose skin conditions. The AI was designed to reduce mistakes and unnecessary specialist referrals by giving primary care doctors better information about skin problems like melanoma, psoriasis, and other conditions. With only 9 participants, this was a small early-stage study to see if the technology works.
WHY IT MATTERSIf this AI tool works well, patients with rare skin conditions like hidradenitis suppurativa could get faster, more accurate diagnoses from their regular doctor instead of waiting for specialist appointments.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are testing a combination of two immunotherapy drugs in patients with four types of rare cancers: neuroendocrine tumors, biliary tract cancers, ovarian clear cell carcinoma, and tumors with high microsatellite instability. This Phase 2 trial involves 240 patients and is based on earlier research showing these cancers may respond well to this type of treatment.
WHY IT MATTERSPatients with these rare cancers now have access to a targeted immunotherapy combination that showed promise in earlier studies, potentially offering a new treatment option for cancers that historically have limited therapeutic choices.
ResearchCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are studying 1,000 children and adults with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a rare cancer of the adrenal glands. They want to understand why some people survive longer than others and whether certain treatments work better. The average person with ACC lives about 14.5 months after diagnosis, but survival times vary widely.
WHY IT MATTERSThis study is actively collecting data that could help doctors better predict outcomes and choose more effective treatments for ACC patients, though it is not currently recruiting new participants.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are testing a combination of two cancer-fighting treatments called talimogene laherparepvec and nivolumab in patients with rare lymphomas (blood cancers) and skin cancers that didn't respond to previous treatments. Talimogene laherparepvec is a modified virus that helps the immune system fight cancer cells, while nivolumab is an immunotherapy drug that removes the brakes on the immune system. This study involves 68 patients and is currently enrolling participants.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers a potential new treatment option for patients with refractory (treatment-resistant) rare lymphomas like mycosis fungoides and Merkel cell carcinoma, which have very limited options after standard therapies fail.