Metformin for the Prevention of Oral Cancer in Patients With Oral Premalignant Lesions

• Status: Recruiting
• Trial end date: 2025-03-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

This phase I trial tests whether metformin works in reducing the annual transformation (development of invasive cancer) of oral precancerous lesions into cancerous lesions. Metformin is a drug approved for the treatment of diabetes, but studies have shown that it may have some anticancer properties. Giving metformin may help prevent or slow the development of oral cancer from precancerous lesions.

• Phase: Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Thomas Jefferson University
• Collaborator: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Treatments: Metformin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-85

• Clinical appearance of lesion

• Homogenous leukoplakia

• Non- homogenous leukoplakia

• Erythroplakia

• Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia

• Histologic appearance

• No dysplasia

• Mild dysplasia

• Moderate dysplasia

• Diabetics: if on metformin, will get them to 2000 mg per day, if not, will add metformin in consultation with endocrinologist

• All subjects must be able to comprehend and sign a written informed consent document

• Willing and able to be available for the duration of the study

• In general good health with no contraindication to biopsy or metformin therapy

• Laboratory results

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe dysplasia, carcinoma in-situ, verrucous carcinoma, invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa)

• Exclude systemic causes of the lesion: pemphigus, pemphigoid, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lichenoid drug reaction, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), syphilis

• Exclude local inciting factors: rule out (r/o) but allowing 2 weeks to pass and see if there is resolution, if not and doesn't resolve with local measures, medical treatment, enroll

• Frictional: sharp tooth

• Trauma

• Immunosuppression by natural illness or medically induced

• Hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to metformin or some other contraindication