Treatments
TL;DR: 10 FDA-approved drugs have labels that mention head and neck cancer in their indications. Grouped below by mechanism of action. This list gives you the vocabulary — your oncologist chooses a regimen based on your specific subtype, stage, biomarkers, and prior therapies.
Source: OpenFDA drug label API · last checked
Cost transparency
Drugs below have published Medicare Part B or Part D spending figures — what the federal government actually paid per beneficiary in 2023.
Figures are average Medicare spending per beneficiary. Out-of-pocket varies by insurance and manufacturer assistance. See all drug costs →
Drugs that activate or modify the immune system to attack cancer cells. Checkpoint inhibitors (targeting PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA-4) are the most common.
Programmed Death Receptor-1 Blocking Antibody [EPC] · Programmed Death Receptor-1-directed Antibody Interactions [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE OPDIVO is a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody indicated for the treatment of: Melanoma • adult and pediatric (12 years and older) patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma, as a single agen…
Programmed Death Receptor-1 Blocking Antibody [EPC] · Endoglycosidase [EPC]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE OPDIVO QVANTIG is a combination of nivolumab, a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody, and hyaluronidase, an endoglycosidase, indicated for the treatment of: Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) • adult patients…
Monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that bind specific proteins on cancer cells.
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Antagonist [EPC] · HER1 Antagonists [MoA]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE ERBITUX ® is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antagonist indicated for treatment of: Head and Neck Cancer Locally or regionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck in combination with radi…
Cytotoxic drugs that kill rapidly dividing cells. Includes platinums, taxanes, antimetabolites, alkylators, topoisomerase inhibitors, and anthracyclines.
From the FDA label: INDICATIONS AND USAGE Bleomycin for Injection, USP should be considered a palliative treatment. It has been shown to be useful in the management of the following neoplasms either as a single agent or in proven combinations with other approv…
From the FDA label: INDICATIONS AND USAGE Bleomycin for Injection, USP should be considered a palliative treatment. It has been shown to be useful in the management of the following neoplasms either as a single agent or in proven combinations with other approv…
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Docetaxel injection is a microtubule inhibitor indicated for: Breast Cancer (BC) : single agent for locally advanced or metastatic BC after chemotherapy failure; and with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide as adjuvant
Microtubule Inhibitor [EPC]
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Docetaxel Injection is a microtubule inhibitor indicated for: • Breast Cancer (BC): single agent for locally advanced or metastatic BC after chemotherapy failure; and with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide as adjuvant…
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Methotrexate Injection is a folate analog metabolic inhibitor indicated for: • The following neoplastic diseases for the: o Treatment of adult and pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia as part of a com…
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Methotrexate for Injection is a folate analog metabolic inhibitor indicated for: • The following neoplastic diseases for the: o Treatment of adult and pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia as part of a…
Drugs whose pharmacologic class was not automatically classified into the groups above. Check the FDA label for mechanism details.
From the FDA label: 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE ETHYOL is a cytoprotective agent indicated for: – reduction of cumulative renal toxicity associated with repeated administration of cisplatin in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. ( 1.1 ) – reduction of the incid…
Disease foundations below have active funds covering head and neck cancer medications. Manufacturer patient-assistance programs are listed on each drug's cost page.
copay, premium, and deductible assistance for insured patients; fund availability varies by disease
https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/disease-funds/Funds open and close based on availability; check disease-funds page for current status
copay assistance for 20+ cancer types via disease-specific funds
https://www.panfoundation.org/find-disease-fund/Merging with Patient Advocate Foundation; unified 'TotalAssist' program launches 2026-07-01
direct copay / coinsurance assistance via disease-specific funds
https://copays.org/Merging with PAN Foundation; launching 'TotalAssist' 2026-07-01
limited financial assistance for transportation, home care, child care, and treatment-related costs
https://www.cancercare.org/financialcase management, insurance appeals, legal counseling for patients with chronic or life-threatening illness
https://www.patientadvocate.org/Merging with PAN Foundation; launching 'TotalAssist' 2026-07-01
Trials test new therapies before they are FDA-approved. Often a way to access tomorrow's drugs today.
Back to Head and Neck Cancer hub →Stats, second opinions, NCI cancer centers, oncologists.
Understand biomarkers →Most targeted therapies require biomarker testing. Here's what you need to know.
Read your pathology report →Which drugs apply to you depends on what's in your pathology.