Feasibility Study of Oral Ketamine Versus Placebo for the Treatment of Anxiety in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

A Prospective, Single Center, Double Blind, Randomized, Crossover Feasibility Study of Oral Ketamine Versus Placebo for the Treatment of Anxiety in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

This is a prospective, single center, double blind, randomized, crossover feasibility study of oral ketamine versus placebo for the treatment of anxiety in patients with pancreatic cancer currently receiving or within 12 weeks of receiving cancer targeted therapy. The primary objective is to determine the feasibility of enrolling subjects and treatment adherence. The secondary objectives are to describe the safety and tolerability. Exploratory objectives are to assess the effect of ketamine/placebo on Depression, Anxiety, Physical Function, Pain Interference, Pain Intensity, Fatigue, Sleep Disturbance, and Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities as measured by PROMIS Anxiety Short Form 7a and the PROMIS-29 Profile v2.1 of Patient Reported Outcomes, as well as changes in circulatory inflammatory cytokines, blood glutamine levels, and other biomarkers of anxiety and/or depression.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Pancreatic Cancer; Anxiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Ketamine; Drug: Placebo; Drug: Placebo; Drug: Ketamine

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 20
• Phase: Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Clinical Trial Navigator; Phone Number: 310-423-8887; Email: GroupCancerTrialInformation@cshs.org

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90048
      • Recruiting
      • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
      • Sub-Investigator: Andrew Hendifar, MD
      • Sub-Investigator: Neil Bhowmick, PhD
      • Principal Investigator: Scott Irwin, MD, PhD
      • Sub-Investigator: Jun Gong, MD
      • Contact: Clinical Trial Recruitment Navigator; Phone Number: 310-248-8654; Email: GroupCancerTrialInformation@cshs.org

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent.
2. Participant has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
3. Receiving or within twelve weeks of having received cancer targeted treatment, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or other cancer targeted therapy.
4. Age ≥ 18 years.
5. Has moderate to severe anxiety according to the PROMIS Anxiety Short Form 7a and/or PROMIS-29 anxiety module (T-score of > 60).
6. Documented adequate liver function within the screening period.
7. Use of concomitant standard antidepressants targeting anxiety (e.g. SSRIs) is permitted if dose has been the same for at least 12 weeks prior to study entry and patient still meets inclusion #5.
8. Women of child-bearing potential and men with partners of child-bearing potential must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and while receiving study drug. Women of child-bearing potential must have a negative urine or blood pregnancy test at screening. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician and study staff immediately.
9. Must be able to read and understand English.
10. Required not to engage in potentially hazardous activities, such as driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery, after receiving a medication dose until the next day after a restful sleep (as per recommendations with Spravato).
11. Agrees to abstain from alcohol use while taking study medication.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Initial cancer diagnosis ≤6 weeks prior to Day 0.
2. Meets MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI Plus), criteria for diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar illness, delirium or psychosis.
3. Scores ≥ 10 on the Suicidal Risk Assessment (SRA).
4. History of allergic reactions or hypersensitivity to ketamine.
5. Documented history of severe cardiac insufficiency (NYHA III or IV), with currently uncontrolled and/or unstable cardiac or coronary artery disease.
6. Current or recent significant tachyarrhythmia, severe angina, or myocardial ischemia, as assessed by a study physician.
7. Documented history of poorly controlled hypertension (Systolic Blood Pressure > 180 mmHG or Diastolic Blood Pressure > 100 mmHG twice within a one-month period in last two months), with or without antihypertensives.
8. Women who are pregnant or nursing or expect to become pregnant or start nursing during the expected trial duration, and women of childbearing potential who refuse to use contraceptives to prevent childbearing.
9. Uncontrolled hypo- or hyperthyroidism, as assessed by a study physician.
10. Diagnosis of dementia.
11. Treatment with monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within 14 days of Day 0.
12. Aneurysmal vascular disease (including thoracic and abdominal aorta, intracranial and peripheral arterial vessels) or arteriovenous malformation.
13. History of intracerebral hemorrhage.
14. Refusal/inability to comply with inclusion criterion #10 (driving restrictions) and inclusion criterion #11 (alcohol abstinence) during study treatment period.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Arm A: Ketamine Followed by Placebo; Weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).	Drug: Ketamine; Weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).; Other Names: Ketalar; Drug: Placebo; Weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).; Drug: Placebo; Weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).; Drug: Ketamine; Weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).; Other Names: Ketalar
Experimental: Arm B: Placebo Followed by Ketamine; Weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).	Drug: Ketamine; Weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).; Other Names: Ketalar; Drug: Placebo; Weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).; Drug: Placebo; Weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).; Drug: Ketamine; Weekly oral administration of placebo for 4 weeks, followed by weekly oral administration of 0.5mg/kg ketamine for 4 weeks (separated by a washout period of 2 weeks).; Other Names: Ketalar

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Feasibility of enrolling subjects which will be measured by the proportion of patients dropping out of study for any reason prior to the end of treatment visit.	The following will be collected as part of this feasibility measurement: Reasons for dropout.; Proportion of patients pre-screened that were potentially eligible for study participation.; Proportion of patients that were potentially eligible who were approached.; Proportion of approached patients that decline study participation and why.; Proportion of approached patients that agreed to participate.; Proportion of approached that were randomized.; Proportion of patients completing study through End of Treatment visit and each follow-up visit.	2 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
To investigate the safety of oral ketamine in patients with pancreatic cancer and anxiety, which will be assessed by the number of adverse events related to study treatment per CTCAE v.5.	Th number of adverse events related to study treatment assessed per CTCAE v.5.	3 months
To investigate the tolerability of oral ketamine in patients with pancreatic cancer and anxiety, which will be measured by patient-reported Ketamine Adverse Symptom Checklist and Impact scores.	This is a self-report tool that provides patient rating (none, mild, moderate, severe) of 33 potential side effects of ketamine. The Adverse Symptom Checklist (ASC) is scored 0 (none), mild (1), moderate (2), and severe (3 points). This scale also asks patients to quantify side effect interference in daily activities, also scored the same way (Min value 0, Max Value 3). Therefore, the total score for the ASC has Min value 0, Max 102 where total higher scores mean a worse outcome. The ASC responses will be dichotomized (frequency: 0%-25% vs >25%; intensity: none, mild vs moderate, or greater; burden: none to mild impairment vs moderate or greater impairment) and will be descriptively summarized by each treatment arm at each assessment time point.	3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Scott Irwin, MD, PhD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 20, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 8, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 8, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): October 20, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 8, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 4, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: placebo; ketamine
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Endocrine System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Digestive System Neoplasms; Digestive System Diseases; Endocrine Gland Neoplasms; Pancreatic Diseases; Anxiety Disorders; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Organic Chemicals; Hydrocarbons; Cyclohexanes; Cycloparaffins; Hydrocarbons, Alicyclic; Hydrocarbons, Cyclic; Ketamine
• Other Study ID Numbers: IIT2019-18-IRWIN-KETANX

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No