Perspectives on window of opportunity trials in head and neck cancer: lessons from the EORTC 90111-24111-NOCI-HNCG study

Assessing tumour response using a traditional phase I, II and III trial approach is not without limitations, particularly when targeted therapies are involved. Window of opportunity trials, performed presurgically but differing from neoadjuvant studies, were developed in an attempt to overcome the limitations of the traditional approach. A recent window of opportunity trial, the EORTC 90111-24111-NOCI-HNCG study, evaluated afatinib in treatment-naive patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. While this study was the first to demonstrate the activity of afatinib in this setting and to define its potential predictive biomarkers, it also highlighted the challenges associated with the window of opportunity trial design, including the impact of patient selection, tumour site, and other organisational issues. This report details the key learnings from the EORTC 90111-24111-NOCI-HNCG study and provides recommendations to overcome the challenges of this particular trial design.