Can a diabetes drug stop oral cancer before it starts?
NCT ID NCT05237960
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether metformin, a common diabetes drug, can prevent oral cancer in people with precancerous white or red patches in the mouth. About 34 participants will receive either metformin or a placebo for several months. Researchers will check if the patches shrink or improve, aiming to see if metformin can stop these lesions from turning into cancer.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Metformin (extended-release)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a way to prevent oral cancer in people with precancerous mouth lesions.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 34 participants, so results may not apply broadly. Metformin may not reverse or stop precancerous changes.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for ERYTHROPLAKIA are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
British Columbia Cancer Agency
Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4E6, Canada
-
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
-
Emory University Hospital/Winship Cancer Institute
Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States
-
Louisiana State University
Lafayette, Louisiana, 70503, United States
-
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States
-
NYU College of Dentistry
New York, New York, 10010, United States
-
UC San Diego Medical Center - Hillcrest
San Diego, California, 92103, United States
-
University of Arizona Cancer Center-North Campus
Tucson, Arizona, 85719, United States
-
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
-
University of Minnesota/Masonic Cancer Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Vitamin a derivative patch could reverse oral precancer
- Can a vitamin d gel or light therapy stop precancerous mouth lesions?
- Could a seed protein stop oral cancer? early study hints at promise
- New light treatment could fight oral cancer without surgery
- Light therapy vs. vitamin d cream: new hope for oral cancer prevention?
- Could a common diabetes drug stop oral cancer before it starts?