Freeze-Dried Black Raspberries in Preventing Oral Cancer Recurrence in High At-Risk Appalachian Patients Oral Cancer Survivors

This pilot clinical trial studies freeze-dried black raspberries (BRB) in preventing oral cancer recurrence in high at-risk Appalachian patients previously treated with surgery for oral cancer. Chemoprevention is the use of drugs natural products to keep cancer from developing, progressing, or recurring. Giving freeze-dried black raspberries may prevent oral cancer from forming or returning in oral cancer survivors.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To conduct an initial early phase clinical study utilizing a high ar-risk and underserved Appalachian population who are former oral cancer patients to determine the practicability of long-term daily freeze-dried black raspberry (BRB) (BRB lozenge) administration and to gain insights into the potential prevention of recurrent oral cancer by BRBs. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate numerous parameters (recruitment, tolerability, adherence to study guidelines, collection of biological samples, and demographics) that will be helpful in designing a future definitive, randomized, Phase II or III clinical trial structured to assess the potential effects of long-term BRB administration. II. Evaluate the temporal modulation of BRB-responsive gene expression that favor oral cancer chemoprevention in high at-at risk normal tissues before and after BRB administration. III. Assess the temporal modulation of BRB-responsive gene expression and biological levels of fruit components in post-surgical oral cancer patients not exposed to BRBs. OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 treatment arms. ARM I: Patients receive freeze-dried black raspberry lozenges orally (PO) 4 times daily (QID) for up to 6 months. ARM II: Patients do not receive freeze-dried black raspberries lozenges. After completion of study treatment, patients in Arm I are followed for up to 5 years and patients in Arm II are followed for up to 1 year for oral cancer recurrence.