ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT00001698Updated Mar 4, 2008

Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase IIB Trial of Ketorolac Mouth Rinse Evaluating the Effect of Cyclooxygenase Inhibition on Oropharyngeal Leukoplakia: Collaborative Study of the NCI, NIDCD and the NIDCR

A Phase 2 interventional study of Ketorolac Rinse in Leukoplakia and Periodontal Disease, sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI). Completed at 1 site in United States. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2008-03-04.

Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
57
Sex
All
01

Study summary

In Phase II trials, treatment with ketorolac tromethamine oral rinse has been shown to block periodontal disease progression even in the absence of standard clinical intervention such as scaling and root planing which is routinely done to reduce the periodontal pathogen load that is driving the local destructive host inflammatory response. Resolution of periodontal disease has a favorable effect on normalizing the cellular and biochemical indices of inflammation as reflected by histological changes as well as the levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and interleukin I beta (IL-1beta). In this trial, we will prospectively evaluate if eliminating the inflammatory process (via inhibition of PGE2 biosynthesis) in the oral cavity has a favorable impact on reversing oropharyngeal leukoplakia. To test this hypothesis, up to 57 prospectively identified individuals with objective findings of oropharyngeal leukoplakia will be randomized to receive either a mouth rinse containing ketorolac or placebo. Ketorolac is a 7-fold selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), which has been designed for local delivery to maximize the drug exposure to critical oral target tissues while minimizing gastric and systemic exposure to the drug. All responses will be determined at the three month completion of trial using the response criteria developed at MD Anderson Cancer Center. The drug will be given for three months and then all the patients will be followed for one additional month off all oral treatment to observe for late side effects. Based on the analysis of oral exam and photographically documented change in the pretreatment area of leukoplakia, the response of all patients will be determined.

The evaluation of the outcome will include a measurable secondary endpoint consisting of an assessment of histological change as determined by serial punch biopsies of the oral cavity. In addition, a panel of carcinogenesis and inflammatory markers will be serially measured at baseline, at one month follow up or at study conclusion. In the residual tissue, other bioassays will be evaluated to determine their suitability as intermediate endpoint markers. The purpose of this study is a preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of ketorolac as a potential chemoprevention agent for oropharyngeal cancer. If ketorolac administration in this preliminary Phase IIB trial is associated with reversal of leukoplakia, then a definitive Phase III chemoprevention trial with a cancer reduction endpoint (most likely in a cooperative group-type setting) may be the next validation step.

Read the detailed description

In Phase II trials, treatment with ketorolac tromethamine oral rinse has been shown to block periodontal disease progression even in the absence of standard clinical intervention such as scaling and root planing which is routinely done to reduce the periodontal pathogen load that is driving the local destructive host inflammatory response. Resolution of periodontal disease has a favorable effect on normalizing the cellular and biochemical indices of inflammation as reflected by histological changes as well as the levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and interleukin I beta (IL-1beta). In this trial, we will prospectively evaluate if eliminating the inflammatory process (via inhibition of PGE2 biosynthesis) in the oral cavity has a favorable impact on reversing oropharyngeal leukoplakia. To test this hypothesis, up to 57 prospectively identified individuals with objective findings of oropharyngeal leukoplakia will be randomized to receive either a mouth rinse containing ketorolac or placebo. Ketorolac is a 7-fold selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), which has been designed for local delivery to maximize the drug exposure to critical oral target tissues while minimizing gastric and systemic exposure to the drug. All responses will be determined at the three month completion of trial using the response criteria developed at MD Anderson Cancer Center. The drug will be given for three months and then all the patients will be followed for one additional month off all oral treatment to observe for late side effects. Based on the analysis of oral exam and photographically documented change in the pretreatment area of leukoplakia, the response of all patients will be determined.

The evaluation of the outcome will include a measurable secondary endpoint consisting of an assessment of histological change as determined by serial punch biopsies of the oral cavity. In addition, a panel of carcinogenesis and inflammatory markers will be serially measured at baseline, at one month follow up or at study conclusion. In the residual tissue, other bioassays will be evaluated to determine their suitability as intermediate endpoint markers. The purpose of this study is a preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of ketorolac as a potential chemoprevention agent for oropharyngeal cancer. If ketorolac administration in this preliminary Phase IIB trial is associated with reversal of leukoplakia, then a definitive Phase III chemoprevention trial with a cancer reduction endpoint (most likely in a cooperative group-type setting) may be the next validation step.

02

Conditions studied

  • Leukoplakia
  • Periodontal Disease

Keywords

  • Chemoprevention
  • Direct Epithelial Delivery
  • Tobacco-induced Cancer
  • Field Cancerization
03

In context

Leukoplakia

21 studies on the registry are indexed under Leukoplakia; 7 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 57 is above the median of 35 across 12 interventional studies indexed under Leukoplakia.

Browse Leukoplakia studies →

Lead sponsor

National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the lead sponsor of 3,556 studies on the registry; 336 are open to participants now.

Of its 411 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 373 (91%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

Patients must have objective evidence of oral leukoplakia. This includes subjects who have had a previous diagnosis of head and neck or oral cancer, who are currently free of evidence of known cancer for at least three months.

Patients must have bidimensionally .

Patients must consent to serial photography and to document response to treatment.

All patients old enough to give their own (greater than or equal to 18 years old) are eligible.

Subjects must be excellent performance status (Performance Status 0-1).

In addition, they must be otherwise medically fit in the opinion of the PI with no other uncontrolled medical conditions.

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Patients with a to aspirin, lidocaine or non- anti-inflammatory agents or retinoids will be ineligible.

Patients using antibiotics, steroids, NSAID, aspirin, probenecid or antihistamines for an extended regimen of at least 10 or more consecutive days, or any , anticoagulants, dilantin, lithium, methotrexate, phenothiazines, drugs with pharmacological activity that could compromise the test product safety during the 30 days immediately preceding the first treatment visit.

Patients with serious or debilitating oral conditions that require extensive dental procedures in order to safely participate in this trial. This trial does not envision the need to do dental procedures (such as root canal or gingival procedure) in order to allow a potential participant to enroll on this study.

Individuals with a social or psychiatric situation interfering with study compliance or an unwillingness to undergo the serial oral will be excluded.

Patients with compromised respiratory function manifested by shortness of breath with mild exertion or dependency on supplemental oxygen.

Patients with compromised cardiovascular status including poorly controlled angina or congestive heart failure.

ELIGIBILITY FOR ORAL IMAGING SUBSTUDY:

Participation in this substudy requires that patients be enrolled in the parent trial.

Subjects must have given their consent and signed supplemental for the pilot study involving oral imaging.

Terms in these criteria, in plain language(7)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Measurable disease

The amount of disease can be tracked with a defined measurement, so the study can see whether it shrinks or grows. It might be a tumour measured on a scan or, in some blood cancers such as myeloma, a marker measured in blood or urine.

The criteria or the study team say which measurement counts — having no tumour visible on a scan does not by itself rule you out.

Biopsy and archival tissue

A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.

Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

Immunosuppression

A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.

Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Enrollment
57 participants

Interventions

  • DrugKetorolac Rinse
06

Study locations

1 site
  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Cavanaugh PF Jr, Meredith MP, Buchanan W, Doyle MJ, Reddy MS, Jeffcoat MK. Coordinate production of PGE2 and IL-1 beta in the gingival crevicular fluid of adults with periodontitis: its relationship to alveolar bone loss and disruption by twice daily treatment with ketorolac tromethamine oral rinse. J Periodontal Res. 1998 Feb;33(2):75-82. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1998.tb02295.x. PubMed 9553866 ↗
  • Hong WK, Sporn MB. Recent advances in chemoprevention of cancer. Science. 1997 Nov 7;278(5340):1073-7. doi: 10.1126/science.278.5340.1073. PubMed 9353183 ↗
  • Potter M. Experimental plasmacytomagenesis in mice. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 1997 Apr;11(2):323-47. doi: 10.1016/s0889-8588(05)70434-2. PubMed 9137973 ↗
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Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
Not marked actual or estimatedDates not marked actual or estimated

The record gives a start of Jun 1998 and a completion of Jun 2004. It does not say whether these dates are actual or estimated.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Nov 3, 1999
First posted
Nov 4, 1999
Start
Jun 1998
Completion
Jun 2004
Last update
Mar 4, 2008
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 4, 2008, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00001698
First posted
Nov 4, 1999
Start date
Jun 1998
Completion
Jun 2004
Last update
Mar 4, 2008
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2004. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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