IMD Drug Screening for Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

This trial explores a new treatment for adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare head and neck cancer, using an implantable microdevice (IMD). Researchers place the IMD in the tumor to test how different drugs affect the cancer. This trial suits individuals newly diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands, who are scheduled for surgery and do not have advanced or metastatic cancer. As a Phase 1 trial, the research aims to understand how the treatment works in people, offering participants the opportunity to be among the first to receive this innovative approach.

The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you are on systemic anticoagulation (blood thinners), this should be discussed with the study's principal investigator and your surgeon.

Research has shown that the implantable microdevice (IMD) is under testing for safety and practicality. This tiny device is placed directly into tumors to release medicine precisely where needed. In this early trial phase, the primary goal is to determine the IMD's safety for humans. Limited information exists about side effects or negative reactions. However, the focus remains on ensuring the device operates safely and delivers medicine effectively without causing harm. This phase helps researchers assess how well people tolerate the device before progressing to larger studies.¹²³⁴⁵

The Implantable Microdevice (IMD) is unique because it offers a new approach to treating adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). Unlike standard treatments, which typically involve surgery followed by radiation or chemotherapy, the IMD allows for localized drug delivery directly into the tumor. This method enables researchers to assess how the tumor responds to different drugs in real-time, potentially leading to more personalized and effective treatment plans. Researchers are excited about this innovation because it could revolutionize how we understand individual tumor behavior and tailor therapies accordingly, offering hope for more precise and effective cancer care.

Research has shown that the implantable microdevice (IMD) is a new tool for testing multiple drugs directly inside tumors, such as those in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). This device can hold up to 20 different drugs in small amounts, allowing them to interact with cancer cells through tiny openings. By testing these drugs directly in the tumor, researchers can quickly identify which ones might effectively stop cancer growth. In this trial, participants will undergo IMD placement followed by surgical resection and standard adjuvant treatment. Previous studies have demonstrated that targeting specific processes in ACC, like PRMT5, can significantly slow tumor growth. This suggests that the IMD could help discover effective treatments by focusing on drugs targeting these processes.²⁴⁶⁷⁸