This is a single center pilot study designed to determine the safety and tolerability of autologous bone marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) in patients with xerostomia (dry mouth) after undergoing radiation therapy (XRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). Up to 12 participants will be enrolled and can expect to be on study for up to 2 years.
Following the completion of screening/baseline procedures, and written consent, eligible participants will undergo bone marrow aspirate in order to obtain MSCs. The MSC Investigational Medicinal Product (IMP) (dose level 0, n=6, staggered) will be injected into one submandibular gland under local anesthesia, in the gland that received the lowest radiation dose. Patients with only one submandibular gland will be ineligible. All participants will be called by a study coordinator 3 days (+/- 2 days) after injection to assess pain and will have a phone visit with a physician 1 week (+/- 2 days) after injection during which the investigator will assess pain and ask about the area of injection regarding redness and/or swelling. All participants will complete a pain diary with daily entries over the first month to record the occurrence and severity of pain using a 0-10 visual analog scale and occurrence and severity of other adverse events (e.g., redness, swelling, warmth, tenderness, rash, pruritis, nausea, vomiting, fatigue). Participants will also keep a log of all pain medications taken including both narcotic and non-narcotic medications (e.g. ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc.) for the first month. Participants will complete 5 follow-up visits over the course of 24 months - at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months following the intervention. Salivary collection for analysis as well as QoL surveys will be obtained at these visits. Dose Reduction: * If dose limiting toxicity (DLT) in less than or equal to 1 participant (n=6 participants, staggered at least 14 days), Dose Level 0 will be recommended as starting dose for subsequent trial. * If DLT in greater than 1 participant, dose level -1 will be administered, staggered at least 14 days in n=6 participants. * If DLT in this cohort is in less than or equal to 1 participant, Dose Level -1 will be recommended as starting dose for subsequent trial. If DLT in greater than or equal to 2 participants, study will be stopped. Primary Objective * To evaluate the safety and tolerability of MSCs for subjects with xerostomia after radiation therapy for HNC. Secondary Objectives * To evaluate the efficacy of MSCs for treatment of xerostomia and salivary hypofunction via quality-of-life (QoL) questionnaires, salivary amount, and salivary compositional analysis. * To assess the imaging characteristics in HNC patients after MSC injection using ultrasound. * To assess the feasibility of a future Phase 1 dose-escalation study. Per Amendment Approved 4/14/23: Sub-study added, all enrolled participants will be offered injection of MSCs into the contralateral submandibular gland upon completion of the trial's primary objective (1 month of follow-up after injection of MSCs without any DLTs). The MSC IMP will be injected into the contralateral submandibular gland under local anesthesia. Participants will complete 5 follow-up visits over the course of 24 months - at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months following the contralateral injection. Salivary collection for analysis as well as QoL surveys will be obtained at all visits, except the 24 month follow-up visit.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
6
Single dose, starting at * Dose Level 0: 10 (8-12) x 10\^6 injected into one submandibular gland on Day 1 Sub-study for second injection after primary objectives met, 10 (8 - 12) x 10\^6 MSCs will be offered for injection into each participant's contralateral submandibular gland
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Percentage of Subjects Experiencing Dose Limiting Toxicity (DLT)
Dose limiting toxicity is defined as: submandibular pain \> 5 on a pain scale of 0-10 at 1-month after MSC injection OR any serious AE OR any of the selected toxicities listed per protocol within one-month post-injection.
Time frame: up to 1 month post injection (up to 3 months from consent)
Change in Saliva Production Rate
Whole saliva production rates will be measured under unstimulated and stimulated saliva collection conditions.
Time frame: baseline (up to 8 weeks before injection), 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-injection
Saliva Composition Analysis: Change in Salivary pH
Salivary pH will be measured using a pH meter. The normal range of saliva pH is 6.2-7.6 .
Time frame: baseline (up to 8 weeks before injection), 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-injection
Saliva Composition Analysis: Change in Total Protein Concentration in Saliva
ELISA will be used to quantify total protein concentration in saliva. The normal range of total protein in saliva is 2-5 mg/mL.
Time frame: baseline (up to 8 weeks before injection), 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-injection
Saliva Composition Analysis: Change in Amylase Concentration in Saliva
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) will be used to quantify amylase concentration in saliva. The normal range of amylase concentration in saliva is 10-150 U/mL.
Time frame: baseline (up to 8 weeks before injection), 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-injection
Saliva Composition Analysis: Change in Mucin Concentration in Saliva
ELISA will be used to quantify mucin concentration in saliva.The normal range of mucin concentration in saliva is 1,000-3,000 ug/mL.
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Time frame: baseline (up to 8 weeks before injection), 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-injection
Change in The University of Michigan Xerostomia Related Quality of Life (XeQOL) Score
The University of Michigan Xerostomia Related Quality of Life (XeQOL) scale is a validated patient-reported assessment 15 item scale with 4 domains: physical functioning, pain/discomfort, personal/psychologic functioning, and social functioning. Participants will answer the questions on a scale of 1-5 (not a all, a little, somewhat, quite a bit, very much) for every item. Higher scores represent greater degree of symptoms.
Time frame: baseline (up to 8 weeks before injection), 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-injection
Change in The MD Anderson Dysphagia Index (MDADI) Score
The MDADI is a 20-item questionnaire designed for evaluating the impact of dysphagia on the quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer. The MDADI score ranges from 20-100 with a lower scale representing worse dysphagia.
Time frame: baseline(up to 8 weeks before injection), 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-injection
Change in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Xerostomia Score
A Visual Analogue Scale questionnaire for subjective assessment of salivary dysfunction. The VAS xerostomia questionnaire is an 8-item questionnaire that provides a validated measure of the perception of dry mouth. Participants will be asked to mark their responses to each item by placing a vertical line on the 100-mm horizontal scale. The VAS ranges from 8-80 with a lower scale representing less dysphagia/symptoms
Time frame: baseline (up to 8 weeks before injection), 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-injection
Change in Salivary Gland Size
Salivary gland size measured by ultrasound imaging
Time frame: baseline (up to 8 weeks before injection), 3, 6, and 12 months post-injection
Change in Salivary Gland Stiffness Measured by Shear Wave Velocity
Salivary gland stiffness (fibrosis) will be measured by acoustic radiation force impulse imaging. Evaluators will be blinded to the time point of evaluation (pre- or post- MSC injection)
Time frame: baseline (up to 8 weeks before injection), 3, 6, and 12 months post-injection
Participant Drop Out Rate
Study feasibility will in part be measured by participant drop out rate.
Time frame: up to 24 months post-injection (up to 26 months from consent)