Suggested remit: To appraise the clinical and cost effectiveness of pembrolizumab before surgery (neoadjuvant) then with radiotherapy (with or without cisplatin) after surgery (adjuvant) for untreated, resectable, locally advanced, squamous cell head and neck cancer.
- Status:
- In progress
- Technology type:
- Medicine
- Decision:
- Selected
- Reason for decision:
- Anticipate the topic will be of importance to patients, carers, professionals, commissioners and the health of the public to ensure clinical benefit is realised, inequalities in use addressed, and help them make the best use of NHS resources
- Process:
- STA Standard
- ID number:
- 6477
Provisional Schedule
- Committee meeting:
- 04 March 2026
- Expected publication:
- 01 July 2026
Project Team
- Project lead
- Kate Moore
Email enquiries
If you have any queries please email [email protected]
- External Assessment Group:
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield
Stakeholders
- Companies sponsors
- Merck Sharp & Dohme (pembrolizumab)
- Others
- Department of Health and Social Care
- NHS England
- Patient carer groups
- Black Health Agency for Equality
- Cancer Black Care
- Cancer Laryngectomee Trust
- Cancer52
- Changing Faces
- Get-A-Head
- Head and Neck Cancer UK
- Helen Rollason Cancer Charity
- Independent Cancer Patients Voice
- Let’s Face it
- Macmillan Cancer Support
- Maggie’s Centres
- Marie Curie
- Mouth Cancer Foundation
- National Association of Laryngectomee Clubs
- ORACLE Head & Neck Cancer UK
- South Asian Health Foundation
- Specialised Healthcare Alliance
- Swallows Head & Neck Cancer Support Group
- Tenovus Cancer Care
- Professional groups
- Association of Cancer Physicians
- British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists
- British Association of Head and Neck Oncology Nurses
- British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
- British Association of Otorhinolaryngologists
- British Dietetic Association- Oncology Specialist Group
- British Geriatrics Society
- British Institute of Radiology
- British Oculoplastic Surgery Society
- British Oncology Pharmacy Association
- British Psychosocial Oncology Society
- British Skull Base Society
- Cancer Research UK
- Oral Health Foundation
- Royal College of General Practitioners
- Royal College of Nursing
- Royal College of Pathologists
- Royal College of Physicians
- Royal College of Radiologists
- Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Royal Society of Medicine
- Society and College of Radiographers
- UK Clinical Pharmacy Association
- UK Oncology Nursing Society
- Associated public health groups
- Public Health Wales
- UK Health Security Agency
- Comparator companies
- Amarox (cisplatin)
- Hospira UK (cisplatin, carboplatin)
- Sandoz (cisplatin)
- Merck (cetuximab)
- General commentators
- All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre
- Allied Health Professionals Federation
- Board of Community Health Councils in Wales
- British National Formulary
- Care Quality Commission
- Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for Northern Ireland
- Healthcare Improvement Scotland
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
- National Association of Primary Care
- National Pharmacy Association
- NHS Confederation
- NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee
- Scottish Medicines Consortium
- Welsh Government
- Relevant research groups
- Genomics England
- Institute of Cancer Research
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit
- National Institute for Health Research
- Oracle Cancer Trust
Timeline
Key events during the development of the guidance:
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 29 August 2025 | Invitation to participate |
| 24 July 2025 - 07 August 2025 | Consultation on suggested remit, draft scope and provisional stakeholder list of consultees and commentators |
| 24 July 2025 | In progress. Scoping commenced. |
| 12 December 2024 | Referral |
| 19 August 2024 | Topic selection |
| 16 July 2024 | Awaiting development. Status change linked to Topic Selection Decision being set to Selected |
For further information on our processes and methods, please see our CHTE processes and methods manual