← Back to Clinical Trials
Recruiting Phase 2 NCT04915183

NCT04915183 Atorvastatin to Reduce Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss Among Individuals With Head and Neck Cancer

◆ AI Clinical Summary
Plain-language summary for patients
Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT04915183
Status Recruiting
Phase Phase 2
Sponsor National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Condition Hearing Loss
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 224 participants
Start Date 2024-07-10
Primary Completion 2028-08-01

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 18 Years
Max Age 100 Years
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
PlaceboAtorvastatin

Eligibility Fast-Check

Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.

What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

In Phase 2, researchers evaluate early signs of effectiveness. You may be randomized to receive the active treatment or a comparator. Monitoring continues closely.

This trial targets 224 participants in total. It began in 2024-07-10 with a primary completion date of 2028-08-01.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

Background: Cisplatin is used to treat head and neck cancer. People who take this drug are at risk for hearing loss. Atorvastatin is a drug used to treat high cholesterol. It might reduce the risk of cisplatin-induced hearing loss. Objective: To find out if atorvastatin reduces hearing loss in people treated with cisplatin and radiation. Eligibility: People ages 18 and older with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who will undergo treatment with cisplatin-based chemotherapy and radiation Design: Participants will be screened with their medical records. Participants currently taking a cholesterol-lowering statin medication are invited to participate in the observational arm of the study. Those not taking such a medication are invited to participate in the interventional arm of the study. All participants will have 3 study visits for the purpose of evaluating hearing. One before starting cisplatin treatment, one within 3 months of completing cancer treatment, and one within 2 years of completing cancer treatment. They will have tympanograms. A small flexible tip will be placed in the ear canal. A puff of air will be delivered to assess mobility of the ear drum. They will have hearing tests. They will wear headphones. They will listen to tones that vary in loudness. They will be asked to indicate when they hear a sound. They will complete 3 questionnaires at the time of each hearing test. Participants will have 2 visits for blood tests. These will occur upon consent and 12 weeks after. They will be randomly assigned to take the study drug or placebo orally, once daily. They will take it during cisplatin treatment and for 3 months after treatment. Long-term follow up will include a chart review 2 years after participants complete their cisplatin therapy.

Eligibility Criteria

* INCLUSION CRITERIA: In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria evaluated by the study team, including an on-site oncologist: * Willingness and ability to comply with and participate in all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study * Ability to provide consent and provision of signed and dated informed consent form * Adult subjects, aged \>=18 * Diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, confirmed by a pathologic review of surgical or biopsy specimen(s), who meet standard clinical and laboratory criteria and will undergo treatment with concomitant cisplatin-based chemotherapy and radiation with curative intent or treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). This includes subjects who will be treated with either intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or proton radiotherapy, with planned dose to the cochlea \<35 Gy (to limit confounding effects of radiation64-67). Patients receiving immunotherapy in addition to cisplatin chemoradiation are eligible. Subjects treated with either high-dose cisplatin (typically 100 mg/m\^2 x 2-3 doses every three weeks) or low-dose, weekly cisplatin (typically 40 mg/m\^2 x 6-7 doses weekly) may enroll. Cisplatin in the neo-adjuvant setting may be given within a combination chemotherapy regimen (e.g TPF= Docetaxel, Cisplatin and 5FU or DC = Docetaxel Cisplatin) * Subjects must have hearing thresholds at or better than 70 dB HL at 1, 2, and 4 kHz in at least one ear at the time of their baseline audiogram. CTCAE criteria (primary endpoint) and ASHA criteria (secondary endpoint) are based on changes in hearing in at least one ear with one ototoxicity event/grade assigned per person. * Baseline laboratory tests with lab values \<1.5x the upper limit of normal: aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT); alanine aminotransferase; creatine phosphokinase, creatinine * Ability to take oral medication by mouth or by feeding tube and willingness to adhere to the daily atorvastatin or placebo regimen * For females of reproductive potential: use of highly effective contraception for at least 1 month prior to enrollment and agreement to use such a method during study participation and for an additional 8 weeks after the end of atorvastatin administration EXCLUSION CRITERIA: An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study: * Subjects currently taking a statin drug * Subjects with bilateral flat, Type B tympanogram * Subjects with bilateral cochlear implants * Pre-existing liver or kidney disease that in the opinion of the investigator would interfere with taking Atorvastatin 40 mg daily. * Subjects with a history of prior treatment with cisplatin chemotherapy * Staff members of the NIDCD Sections and of the lead site investigators headed by the PIs * Children will be excluded because HNSCC in children under age 18 is exceedingly rare * Current use of cimetidine, spironolactone, ketoconazole, cyclosporine, protease inhibitors, gemfibrozil, clarithromycin or itraconazole * Pregnancy, lactation, or plan to become pregnant * Known allergic reactions to components of atorvastatin or the placebo * Other severe or unstable medical conditions which clinical site PI believes increase risk to safety or ability to complete study * Expected concomitant use of aminoglycoside antibiotics

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Katharine A Fernandez, Au.D.

✉ katharine.fernandez@nih.gov

📞 (240) 215-7152

Principal Investigator

Lisa L Cunningham, Ph.D.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT04915183 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 100 Years, studying Hearing Loss. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

What phase is the NCT04915183 trial and what does that mean for participants?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether the treatment shows signs of effectiveness while continuing to monitor safety. More participants are enrolled than in Phase 1 to help refine the treatment protocol.

Is NCT04915183 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT04915183 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at katharine.fernandez@nih.gov for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT04915183 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at Atlanta, United States, Baltimore, United States, Bethesda, United States, Rochester, United States and 1 additional location.

Who is sponsoring the NCT04915183 clinical trial?

NCT04915183 is sponsored by National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The principal investigator is Lisa L Cunningham, Ph.D. at National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The trial plans to enroll 224 participants.

Related Trials

ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: November 2026  ·  Data Methodology