Biospecimen Procurement for Head and Neck Disorders

April 28, 2026 updated by: National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Biospecimen Procurement for the Study of Head and Neck Disorders

Background:

Researchers want to learn more about head and neck disorders. Understanding these disorders could help them find better treatments. To do this, they are collecting tissue samples for research.

Objective:

To create a repository of tissue samples and data to better study conditions of the head and neck.

Eligibility:

People who had or will have tissue samples taken because of a head or neck disorder. They must be ages 3 and older and not pregnant to join Part 2.

Design:

Participants will be screened with a questionnaire, medical history, and physical exam.

Part 1. Participants will give permission for any of their tissue samples leftover from private care or other research protocols to be used.

If participants tissue did not contain normal tissue or if they have a condition that suggests a genetic issue, they will be invited to join Part 2.

Part 2: Participants will have additional samples collected. These could be:

  • Blood: Blood is drawn through a needle in the arm.
  • Cheek swab or brushing: A cotton swab or small brush is rubbed inside the cheek.
  • Saliva: They rinse their mouth with water and spit into a tube or cup.
  • Skin biopsy: They are injected with a numbing drug. A biopsy tool removes a small piece of skin.
  • Mucosal biopsy: They are injected in the mouth with a numbing medication. A small piece of tissue from the inside of the cheek is removed.

Participants samples will be used for future research, including genetic testing.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

Background:

NCI Head and Neck Clinical Research Program (H&N CRP) investigators are studying the natural history and treatment of diverse conditions of the head and neck at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These studies require the collection of biospecimens for research purposes.

Studies performed may support development of future protocols that include new therapeutic agents, novel treatment approaches, and new prognostic and diagnostic models for individuals with disorders of the head and neck affecting human communication.

Objectives:

-Primary: To create a biorepository of diseased and normal tissue specimens for research purposes from individuals with head and neck disorders.

Eligibility:

  • Participants must be diagnosed with a disorder of the head and neck region.
  • Age >= 3 years

Design:

  • Up to 1000 participants will be enrolled.

    • Part 1: Participants with head and neck disorders will be asked to share waste material from surgical procedures to create a biorepository of diseased and normal specimens for research. The participants will be enrolled prior to the surgery, or they may be enrolled retrospectively and asked to share pathology specimens and slides previously collected that are no longer required for their medical care. Participants will be recruited from surgical protocols at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center or from other participating sites.
    • Part 2: Participants who have agreed to share surgical waste material may be asked to provide additional blood, saliva, and/or oral swabs. In addition, oral mucosal or skin biopsies may be obtained from adult participants aged 18 and older.
  • No investigational or experimental therapy will be given as part of this protocol.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
1000

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • District of Columbia
      • Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States, 20007
        • Recruiting
        • MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States, 20037
        • Recruiting
        • George Washington University Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States, 20016
        • Recruiting
        • Johns Hopkins Hospital Sibley Memorial Hospital
        • Contact:
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21205
        • Recruiting
        • Johns Hopkins Hospital Broadway Baltimore
        • Contact:
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21224
        • Recruiting
        • Johns Hopkins Hospital Bayview
        • Contact:
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287
        • Recruiting
        • Johns Hopkins Hospital Greenspring
        • Contact:
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • Recruiting
        • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
        • Contact:
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20814
        • Recruiting
        • Johns Hopkins Suburban Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20817
        • Recruiting
        • Johns Hopkins Otolaryngology Clinic
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

No older than 99 years (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The participants in this protocol will be a population with serious head and neck disorders, including cancer, and are anticipated to have a large number of adverse events completely unrelated to this protocol. Adverse events that are unrelated to the research under this protocol will not be reported to the IRB immediately or at the time of CR.

Description

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:
  • Age 3 and older.
  • Able to provide their own consent, or for minors, a parent or guardian is able to consent on their behalf.
  • Diagnosis of a condition of the head and neck for which removal of biological specimens was indicated for clinical care or for research purposes under a separate Review Board (IRB) approved protocol.
  • Ability of subject (or Legally Authorized Representative (LAR)) to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Part 1:

    --Are unwilling to share waste specimens for research purposes

  • Part 2: Additional exclusion criteria for the Part 2 prospective sample collection part of this protocol these criteria may be assessed prior to collection of the samples but will not affect overall eligibility for the trial (i.e., Part 1):

    • have active symptomatic major organ disorders that would increase the risk of biopsy for research, including but not limited to bleeding disorders, ischemic heart disease, a recent myocardial infarction, active congestive heart failure or severe pulmonary dysfunction
    • have specific medical condition, such as a bleeding tendency where additional biopsies or phlebotomy procedures may increase the participants risk in participating. This will be determined at the discretion of the principal investigator
    • Individuals under the age of 18 are excluded from oral mucosal biopsies and skin biopsies

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Other
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
1
Subjects must be diagnosed with a disorder of the head and neck region

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
To created a biorepository of diseased and normal tissue specimens for research purposes
Time Frame: 06/03/2026
The primary endpoint of this study is the creation of a head and neck biorepository from both surgical waste material and prospectively collected blood, saliva, oral swabs, oral mucosa biopsy and skin biopsy specimens.
06/03/2026

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
To share repository specimens with other approved NIH protocols to conduct analysis of cellular, molecular, genetic and genomic biology of normal processes and disorders of the ENT.
Time Frame: ongoing
ongoing

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Clint T Allen, M.D., National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 23, 2018

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 3, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 3, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 9, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 9, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 12, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 28, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 180051
  • 18-DC-0051

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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