A phase 2 trial reported that preoperative chemo-immunotherapy with sintilimab in locally advanced head and neck cancer achieved major pathological responses in 59.1% of patients. Responders then received reduced-dose postoperative radiation, with the study reporting 100% two-year survival and fewer side effects compared with full-intensity radiation approaches. The readout directly tests whether response-guided treatment can lower treatment burden while preserving early survival outcomes. For developers, it highlights a practical trial design template: using pathological response as an early gate for post-surgical de-escalation.