NCT05289830

Escitalopram to Placebo in Patients With Localized Pancreatic Cancer

A Phase II, Randomized, Double-blind, Trial Comparing Escitalopram to Placebo in Patients With Localized Pancreatic Cancer

• Status: Terminated
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 4 (actual)
• Sponsor: Case Comprehensive Cancer Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Use of antidepressants for participants with localized pancreatic and periampullary cancer receiving neoadjuvant therapy.

Detailed description

Anti-depressants have been shown to be beneficial in cancer participants. They reduce depressive symptoms and improve quality of life. Randomized trials have shown that antidepressants can reduce the development of depression in non-depressed participants with breast, melanoma, and head and neck cancers. It has been shown that treating depression can impact survival in cancer participants. Additionally, depressed pancreatic cancer participants have worse survival. Therefore, anti-depressants may also have implications for cancer treatment.

Conditions

• Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
• Periampullary Cancer

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Escitalopram	Participants will receive Escitalopram 2 weeks: 10 mg/day (1 capsule) 8 weeks: 20 mg/day (2 capsules) 2 weeks: 10 mg/day (1 capsule)
OTHER	Placebo	Participants will receive placebo supplements 2 weeks: 1 capsule 8 weeks: 2 capsules 2 weeks: 1 capsule

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-08-05
• Primary completion: 2023-08-27
• Completion: 2023-08-27
• First posted: 2022-03-21
• Last updated: 2025-12-10
• Results posted: 2025-12-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated drug study