Conditions: Barrett Esophagus Esophageal Cancer
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 93
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This randomized phase II trial studies how well metformin hydrochloride works in preventing esophageal cancer in patients with Barrett esophagus. Chemoprevention is the use of certain drugs to keep cancer from forming. The use of metformin hydrochloride may keep esophageal cancer from forming.

Detailed description:
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To compare the percent change in the mean pS6K1 immunostaining from baseline in mucosal Barrett esophagus (BE) biopsies among patients assigned to 2,000 mg metformin hydrochloride once daily (QD) versus placebo as determined from Barrett mucosal biopsy samples obtained pre- and post-intervention.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate adverse events associated with the two intervention arms.

TERTIARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess the effects of metformin hydrochloride 2,000 mg QD versus placebo on the changes in pS6K1 using traditional IHC categories.

II. To assess the effects of metformin hydrochloride 2,000 mg QD versus placebo on absolute change in pS6K1.

III. To assess changes in serum markers (metformin hydrochloride, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, IGF-1, IGF-2, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-3, fasting leptin, and fasting adiponectin) as determined from serum samples obtained pre- and post-intervention.

IV. To assess changes in proliferation (Ki-67) and apoptosis (cleaved caspase 3) as determined from Barrett mucosal biopsy samples obtained pre- and post-intervention.

V. To assess changes in molecular mediators of the insulin pathway (p-IRS-1, p-AKT\^Serine 473) as determined from Barrett mucosal biopsy samples obtained pre- and post-intervention.

VI. To assess changes in relative activity of AMPK (phosphorylated AMPK/total AMPK ratio) and molecular mediators of AMP kinase (p-mTOR, pS6K1\^Serine 235) as determined from Barrett mucosal biopsy samples obtained pre- and post-intervention.

VII. To assess changes in Programmed Cell Death 4 expression and miR-21 as determined from Barrett mucosal biopsy samples pre- and post-intervention.

VIII. To establish a biospecimen repository archive for future correlative studies.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Patients are stratified according to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (regular vs no regular), body mass index (≥ 30 kg/m² vs \< 30 kg/m²), gender (male vs female), and length of Barrett (2.00 to 4.99 cm vs ≥ 5.00 cm). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

Arm I: Patients receive extended-release metformin hydrochloride orally (PO) once daily (QD) on week 1, and twice daily (BID) on weeks 2-12 (every morning \[QAM\] and every evening \[QPM\] on week 3) in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression.

Arm II: Patients receive extended-release placebo PO QD on week 1 and BID on weeks 2-12 (QAM and QPM on week 3) in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression.

Blood, tissue, and mucosal tissue samples are collected at baseline and after completion of study treatment for pS6K1 analysis and other serum, mucosal, and molecular markers studies by IHC, ELISA, western blotting, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up for 30 days.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients receive extended-release metformin hydrochloride PO QD on week 1, and BID on weeks 2-12 (QAM QPM on week 3) in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. arm 2: Patients receive extended-release placebo PO QD on week 1and BID on weeks 2-12 (QAM and QPM on week 3) in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression.

Interventions: intervention 1: metformin hydrochloride intervention 2: placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Given PO QD and BID intervention 2: Given PO QD and BID

Protocol document: