Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40353748›Full record

ArticleClinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research2025

Early-Phase Trial of IAP Antagonist Tolinapant and Definitive Radiation in Cisplatin-Ineligible Patients with Advanced Head and Neck Cancer.

Nicole C Schmitt, William A Stokes, James E Bates, Brendan L C Kinney, Jill Remick, Mark W McDonald, Soumon Rudra, Madison Steininger, Mosope Oyewole, Mihir R Patel and 6 more

Abstract readClinical Trial, Phase I
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Nicole C SchmittDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-0571-3531
William A StokesWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-1616-7046
James E BatesWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0001-7060-7156
Brendan L C KinneyDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-3516-3008
Jill RemickWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-0241-7622
Mark W McDonaldWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0003-3021-9356
Soumon RudraWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-1411-4880
Madison SteiningerWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0009-0007-6129-4945
Mosope OyewoleWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0009-0009-2650-7380
Mihir R PatelDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0001-6477-9728
Azeem S KakaDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-4528-4460
Jennifer H GrossDepartment of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-4241-4821
Jeffrey SwitchenkoWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-5563-9325
Conor E SteuerWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0001-6528-6319
Dong M ShinWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-8245-4174
Nabil F SabaWinship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0003-4972-1477

Funding

Winship Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support GrantP30CA138292 · NCI · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI Ragini Reiney Kudchadkar · 2009 to 2026
$47.5M
Astex Pharmaceuticals/Taiho OncologyNational Cancer Institute (NCI) P30CA138292NCI NIH HHS P30 CA138292
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTolinapant is an inhibitor of apoptosis protein antagonist that enhances apoptotic pathways. In preclinical studies, tolinapant + radiotherapy (RT) enhances antitumor immunity. We conducted an open-label, single-arm trial to evaluate the safety and feasibility of concurrent tolinapant and RT in cisplatin-ineligible patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. PATIENTS AND

methodsEligible patients had locally/locoregionally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, were human papillomavirus positive or negative, and were cisplatin ineligible. RT was delivered via intensity-modulated RT or proton therapy to a total of 70 Gy (35 fractions). Tolinapant was given every other week during RT at 180 mg/day with option to de-escalate to 90 mg for toxicity. Blood samples for research were collected at baseline and during RT.

resultsTen patients were enrolled. Treatment was well tolerated, with the most common adverse events similar to standard chemoRT (radiodermatitis, fatigue, dysphagia, pain, dysgeusia, and dry mouth). All patients completed treatment, and tolinapant dose de-escalation was not required. One patient experienced brief treatment interruptions due to severe dysphagia. Two patients developed distant metastases after treatment. Another patient developed second and third tumors outside the radiation field after treatment and was treated surgically. At a median follow-up of 13.8 months, the remaining 7 (70%) patients remained free of disease. Blood samples showed a burst of activated (CD38+HLA-DR+) CD8+ T lymphocytes in 40% of patients.

conclusionsTolinapant + RT is well tolerated and induced proliferation of activated T cells in a subset of patients. Larger prospective studies are needed to better assess efficacy.

Indexed as

ChemoradiotherapyHead and Neck NeoplasmsSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckAgedCisplatinFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRadiotherapy, Intensity-ModulatedTreatment OutcomeCisplatin

Identifiers

PMID40353748
PMCPMC12263315

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.