Men and Women Offering Understanding of Throat HPV (MOUTH)

September 9, 2025 updated by: Johns Hopkins University

Impacting the Oral HPV Continuum: MOUTH Study (Men and Women Offering Understanding of Throat HPV)

This study will screen people for oncogenic oral Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection and antibodies to form a cohort of people who may be at increased risk of HPV-oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC). The investigators will follow these individuals prospectively to evaluate oncogenic oral HPV persistence, risk factors, and biomarkers for persistence.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not 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

This study will provide one of the first estimates of long-term oral HPV natural history, and the effect of biologic and behavioral risk factors, including HIV, on this natural history. Phase 1 of the study will screen approximately 1500 people for oncogenic oral HPV biomarkers. Phase 2 of the study will follow only those subjects with oncogenic oral HPV infection and/or HPV serum oncogene antibodies from Phase 1 (and those previously identified as having oncogenic oral HPV infection in a previous study) with annual follow-up for oncogenic oral HPV persistence.

Understanding persistent oncogenic oral HPV infection is the focus of this study. Understanding which factors drive oral HPV infection to become persistent or progress to malignancy is critical to determine who is at high risk for oropharyngeal cancer and may benefit from screening and prevention. It is presumed that persistent oncogenic oral HPV infections are necessary for progression to HPV-OPC.

The study is led by Dr. Amber D'Souza and Dr Carole Fakhry (Johns Hopkins) and participants are being enrolled in Baltimore MD (Johns Hopkins) and in New York (Mt. Sinai).

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.
1500

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21205
        • Johns Hopkins Hospital

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

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Target sample size: 1325 (phase 1), ~250 (phase 2) Inclusion of women and minorities: Primary enrollment is restricted to men, given their higher risk of infection (see eligibility criteria). However, the investigators expect to enroll women with cervical dysplasia and partners of patients with HPV-related cancer (~125 expected women enrollees). Enrollment is across many different sources (geographically, and by clinic type), and is inclusive of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Enrollment is not stratified by race but the investigators expect to enroll at least 175 minorities in the study.

Description

Participants in the Phase 1 Screening

Inclusion criteria:

In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:

  • 18 and older (enrollment at most sites will be restricted to 30 and older since this demographic has the highest prevalence of infection; however, individuals and/or partners of someone with an HPV-related cancer, for example, are at increased risk so will be enrolled in the larger age range).
  • Willing to be contacted to arrange follow-up visits, if determined to be eligible for phase 2
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

In addition, individuals must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Male, aged 30 and older, with 2 or more lifetime oral sex
  • History of anal or genital dysplasia or cancer
  • Partners of someone with an HPV-related cancer (HPV-positive OPC, anal cancer or genital cancer)
  • Known oncogenic HPV-positive biomarker from prior studies or testing, regardless of number of partners.

Exclusion criteria:

An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:

  • Presence of medical or psychiatric condition affecting ability to give voluntary, informed consent.
  • Participants who do not speak English cannot enroll because the consent and study survey are only available in English. However, if there is a hearing, literacy or minor fluency issue and the participant requests assistance from a family member or the study coordinator, this individual may still enroll and receive this assistance to ensure they fully hear and understand everything being asked.
  • History of head and neck cancer

Participants in the Phase 2 Follow-Up

Inclusion criteria:

  • Oncogenic oral HPV infection and/or HPV serum oncogenic antibodies detected in phase 1
  • Willingness to complete annual follow up visits

Exclusion criteria:

• Unable to complete annual follow up visits

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: Cohort
  • 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.
Follow-up
Those subjects with oncogenic oral HPV infection and/or HPV oncogene serum antibodies from screening.

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
Oncogenic oral HPV infection present or absent in oral rinse sample
Time Frame: Baseline to end of four year follow-up and data abstraction/linkage.
To explore the effects of biologic (microbiome, oral immune response, biologic sex) risk factors for oncogenic oral HPV persistence
Baseline to end of four year follow-up and data abstraction/linkage.

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
HPV16 E6 antibodies present or absent in serum sample
Time Frame: Baseline to end of four year follow-up and data abstraction/linkage.
To explore whether E6 and E7 seropositivity (to HPV16 or any oncogenic HPV) are markers for oncogenic oral HPV persistence among high-risk groups
Baseline to end of four year follow-up and data abstraction/linkage.

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.
Johns Hopkins University

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.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)

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: Amber D'Souza, PhD, Bloomberg Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

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.
April 3, 2017

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.
September 1, 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.
June 1, 2028

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).
August 21, 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.
August 21, 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.
August 23, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

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.
September 11, 2025

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.
September 9, 2025

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.
September 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.
  • IRB00119537 (Johns Hopkins University)
  • R35DE026631 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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