Last reviewed · How we verify

NCT02882282

Pembrolizumab in Treating Patients With High Risk Oral Intraepithelial Neoplasia

Completed Phase 2 Results posted Last updated 23 October 2025
What this trial tests

Phase 2 trial testing Laboratory Biomarker Analysis in Oral Cavity Carcinoma in 15 participants. Completed in 14 July 2025.

Timeline
14 June 2017
Primary endpoint
14 July 2025
14 July 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsorM.D. Anderson Cancer Center
PhasePhase 2
StatusCompleted
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationrandomized
Designparallel
Maskingnone
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment15
Start date14 June 2017
Primary completion14 July 2025
Estimated completion14 July 2025
Sites1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center — full company profile →

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Oral Cavity Carcinoma or Oral Intraepithelial Neoplasia. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Oral Cancer-free Survival Primary · 51.2 months

To determine oral cancer-free survival and overall survival of patients with high risk oral IEN treated with Pembrolizumab versus observation

GroupValue95% CI
Arm A (Control)NANA – NA
Arm B (Pembrolizumab )6.73.6 – 40.2
Overall Survival Secondary · Overall survival was defined as from the randomization to death of all causes, whichever occurred first or last follow up.

To determine overall survival of patients with high risk oral IEN treated with pembrolizumab versus observation. The distribtuion of overall survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method.

GroupValue95% CI
Arm A (Control)NANA – NA
Arm B (Pembrolizumab).NANA – NA

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: Approximately 4 years, 4 months. Reporting threshold: 0%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

Arm A
Serious: 0/7 (0%)
Deaths: 1/7
Arm B
Serious: 0/8 (0%)
Deaths: 7/8
Other adverse events (25 terms — click to expand)

ReactionSystemArm AArm B
ConstipationGastrointestinal disorders
FatigueGeneral disorders
Mucositis OralGastrointestinal disorders
HypothyroidismGeneral disorders
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders
PruritusSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Non-Cardiac chest painGastrointestinal disorders
SepsisInfections and infestations
Allergic RhinitisRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
AnorexiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
Chest Pain - CardiacCardiac disorders
CoughRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders
Ear PainGeneral disorders
Flu Like SymptomsGeneral disorders
HeadacheNervous system disorders
Hot flashesVascular disorders
HyperkalemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
Joint PainMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Oral secretionGastrointestinal disorders
Peg PlacementGastrointestinal disorders
Rash pustularInfections and infestations
sore throatRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
vomitingGastrointestinal disorders
White blood cell decreasedInvestigations

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02882282 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

This randomized phase II trial studies how well pembrolizumab works in treating patients with high risk oral intraepithelial neoplasia. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread.

Publications & conference data

7 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

  1. Unmet Needs and Perspectives in Oral Cancer Prevention.
    Bouaoud J, Bossi P, Elkabets M, Schmitz S, et al · · 2022 · cited 28× · PMID 35406587 · DOI 10.3390/cancers14071815
  2. Transcriptional analysis highlights three distinct immune profiles of high-risk oral epithelial dysplasia.
    Gan CP, Lee BKB, Lau SH, Kallarakkal TG, et al · · 2022 · cited 13× · PMID 36119104 · DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2022.954567
  3. Novel Molecular Targets for Chemoprevention in Malignancies of the Head and Neck.
    Bhatia A, Burtness B. · · 2017 · cited 13× · PMID 28858212 · DOI 10.3390/cancers9090113
  4. A Review of Immunotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer.
    Goetz JW, Rabinowits G, Kalman N, Villa A. · · 2024 · cited 10× · PMID 39370694 · DOI 10.1177/00220345241271992
  5. The Next Frontier: Head and Neck Cancer Immunoprevention.
    Gutkind JS, Bui JD. · · 2017 · cited 8× · PMID 29138137 · DOI 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-17-0331
  6. Immunotherapy for the prevention of high-risk oral disorders malignant transformation: the IMPEDE trial.
    Gurizzan C, Lorini L, Paderno A, Tomasoni M, et al · · 2021 · cited 5× · PMID 34001010 · DOI 10.1186/s12885-021-08297-3
  7. Leukoplakia of oral cavity and urinary bladder are premalignant to squamous carcinoma.
    Wishahi M. · · 2026 · PMID 41883435 · DOI 10.5493/wjem.v16.i1.114526

Verify or expand the search:

Other trials of Laboratory Biomarker Analysis

Trials testing the same drug.

Other recruiting trials for Oral Cavity Carcinoma

Currently open trials in the same condition.

Other M.D. Anderson Cancer Center trials

Trials by the same sponsor.

Verify against primary sources

Data sources for this page

Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT02882282.

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing