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A Randomized Phase II Trial of Low Dose Aspirin Versus Placebo in High-Risk Individuals With CT-Detected Subsolid Lung Nodules

Eligibility Criteria


Inclusion Criteria

  • Asymptomatic current or former smokers (having stopped within the last 20 years)
  • Smoking history >= 20 pack/years; subjects must be included in an ongoing annual screening with low dose CT scan or must have two consecutive CT outside the context of a screening program confirming subsolid nodules
  • Subjects must have subsolid (non-solid or partially solid) nodules with size between 4 and 10 mm with any volume doubling time (VDT) not candidate to surgical excision and/or subsolid (non solid or partially solid) nodule larger than 10 mm with VDT higher than 400 days and not candidate to surgical excision
  • All nodules should be persistent at least after three months follow up with 1 dimension (1d)-CT; a reduction up to 15% of the diameter of the largest target nodule from the previous CT scan is allowed
  • All current smokers should accept to receive support for smoking cessation
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =< 1 (Karnofsky >= 70%)
  • Leukocytes >= 3,000/microliter
  • Absolute neutrophil count >= 1,500/microliter
  • Platelets >= 100,000/microliter
  • Total bilirubin =< 2 X institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) and/or history of Gilbert's syndrome
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) =< 1.5 x institutional ULN
  • Serum creatinine =< institutional ULN
  • Women of child-bearing potential (from first menstruation to 1 year after last menstruation) must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation; should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her study physician immediately
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
  • Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

  • Subjects with chronic treatment (at least twice/week for more than 3 months) with aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to aspirin, NSAIDs, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) inhibitors
  • Invasive malignancy (with the exclusion of basal cell carcinoma or skin squamous cell carcinoma) diagnosed during the last 2 years before randomization; stage I-II invasive malignancies that were diagnosed more than 2 years prior to randomization and have been treated curatively are allowed as long as all treatment is finished at least 18 months prior to randomization
  • History of therapeutic doses of anticoagulants including warfarin and low molecular weight heparin (e.g. for prior deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms) in the preceding year
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
  • Pregnant women are excluded from this study; breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with aspirin
  • Individual may not be receiving any other investigational agents, antiplatelet agents (e.g. aspirin, clopidogrel [Plavix or others]), anticoagulants (e.g. heparin or heparinoids, Coumadin, or others), methotrexate, lithium
  • Participants with bleeding diathesis, history of gastric/duodenal ulcers in the last 5 years, NSAID-precipitated bronchospasm, patients unwilling or unable to limit alcohol consumption to i.e. =< 3 alcohol drinks a day
  • Participants who in the opinion of the principal investigator (PI) will be at higher risk of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)-related complications
  • Participants with known inability to adequately absorb oral medication