Using honokiol to prevent lung cancer recurrence before surgery

Phase I Trial Evaluating the Safety of the Dietary Supplement Honokiol in Early-Stage Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

This study is testing if taking honokiol, a dietary supplement, can safely help prevent lung cancer from coming back in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer before their surgery.

Quick facts

• Phase: PHASE1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 15 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: The Methodist Hospital Research Institute (other)
• Drugs / interventions: chemotherapy, radiation, nivolumab
• Locations: 1 site (Houston, Texas)
• Trial ID: NCT06566443 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This Phase I trial evaluates the safety of honokiol, a dietary supplement, in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer scheduled for curative surgery. The study will enroll approximately 15 patients with stage I tumors smaller than 4 cm, who will take honokiol for two weeks prior to their surgery. The primary goal is to determine the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of honokiol, assessing its potential as a chemopreventive agent in lung cancer treatment.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older with stage I non-small cell lung cancer and tumors less than 4 cm.

Not a fit: Patients with advanced lung cancer or those with tumors larger than 4 cm will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide a new approach to prevent lung cancer recurrence in patients undergoing surgery.

How similar studies have performed: While the use of honokiol in cancer treatment is promising, this specific approach is novel and has not been extensively tested in similar studies.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. The patient provides written informed consent for the trial. Spanish speaking patients will be included and translation services will be provided as needed.
2. Male or female, 18 years of age or older, on the day of informed consent signing.
3. Early stage NSCLC eligible for upfront definitive surgical resection
4. Measurable disease according to the Response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST 1.1) within 30 days of treatment.
5. Expected life expectancy of at least 6 months
6. Adequate organ and marrow function as defined below:

   Hemoglobin ≥9.0 g/dl (without blood transfusion within 2 weeks of laboratory test used to determine eligibility) Absolute neutrophil count ≥1000/μL (without granulocyte colony stimulating factor support within 2 weeks of laboratory test used to determine eligibility) Platelet count ≥100,000/μL (without transfusion within 2 weeks of laboratory test used to determine eligibility)- Serum total bilirubin (TB) ≤1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN; In the case of known Gilbert's syndrome, a higher serum TB \[\>1.5 x ULN\] is allowed), Aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase ≤5 x institutional ULN Creatinine ≤1.5X the ULN or measured creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min/1.
7. Willing and able to comply with the protocol for the duration of the trial including undergoing treatment and scheduled visits and examinations.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Currently participating and receiving study therapy or has participated in a study of an investigational agent and received study therapy or used an investigational device within 3 weeks of trial treatment administration.
2. Prior chemotherapy, targeted small molecule therapy, or radiation therapy within 2 weeks prior to trial treatment administration or who has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from Adverse Events (AEs) due to a previously administered agent.
3. Use of agents that target the mitochondrial metabolism.
4. Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or requires active treatment. Exceptions include basal cell carcinoma of the skin or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has undergone potentially curative therapy or in situ cervical cancer.
5. The patient has serious and/or uncontrolled preexisting medical condition(s) that, in the judgment of the investigator, would preclude participation in this study (for example, interstitial lung disease, severe dyspnea at rest or requiring oxygen therapy, severe renal impairment \[e.g. estimated creatinine clearance \<30ml/min\], history of major surgical resection involving the stomach or small bowel, or preexisting Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis or a preexisting chronic condition resulting in baseline Grade 2 or higher diarrhea).
6. History or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the patient's participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the patient to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator.
7. Known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial.
8. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of ≥ 2.
9. Patients must have recovered from all AEs due to previous therapies to ≤ Grade 1 or baseline. Patients with ≤ Grade 2 neuropathy may be eligible. If patient received major surgery, she must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting the trial treatment.
10. Active infection requiring systemic therapy.
11. Confirmed positive pregnancy test in women of childbearing potential (WOCBP).

Where this trial is running

Houston, Texas

• Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center — Houston, Texas, United States (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Jun Zhang, MD — Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center
• Study coordinator: Jun Zhang, MD

Conditions: Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung