Status:

RECRUITING

Apixaban or Enoxaparin After Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

Lead Sponsor:

Kiranya Arnold

Collaborating Sponsors:

State University of New York - Upstate Medical University

Conditions:

Venous Thromboembolism

Head and Neck Cancer

Eligibility:

All Genders

18-89 years

Phase:

PHASE4

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if apixaban (a pill) is a safe and easier alternative to taking enoxaparin (a daily shot) to prevent blood clots after head and neck cancer surgery. It will...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Participants must:
  • Provide signed and dated informed consent.
  • Be willing and able to comply with study procedures and follow-up.
  • Be 18-89 years old (male or female).
  • Have a negative pregnancy test within 24 hours before surgery (if woman of childbearing potential).
  • Have biopsy-proven head and neck cancer, or a suspected cancer awaiting tissue diagnosis (can be confirmed by frozen section at surgery).
  • Be scheduled for major inpatient or outpatient oncologic head and neck surgery (defined as \>45 minutes operative time).
  • Be an appropriate surgical candidate (adequate performance status).
  • Eligible diagnoses include (not limited to):
  • Squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity, hypopharynx, larynx, nasal cavity
  • Malignancies from major salivary glands
  • Non-melanoma skin cancers (squamous cell, basal cell, Merkel cell carcinoma)
  • Unknown primary tumors of head and neck

Exclusion

  • Participants cannot:
  • Lack a tissue diagnosis of head and neck cancer during the study period.
  • Have one of these conditions instead of eligible cancer: Benign disease; Primary thyroid cancer (lower VTE risk); Lymphoma (not primarily surgical); or Melanoma
  • Fail to undergo definitive head and neck oncologic surgery (e.g., only diagnostic biopsy).
  • Have surgery limited to tissue diagnosis only (e.g., direct laryngoscopy, excisional lymph node biopsy).
  • Be unable (patient or caregiver) to administer the study drug.
  • Have a positive pregnancy test on the day of surgery.
  • Have a known history of prior DVT or PE (since extended anticoagulation would be indicated).
  • Have hereditary or acquired bleeding/clotting disorders.
  • Have severe renal impairment (CrCl \<30 mL/min).
  • Have conditions that, in the investigator's judgment, make study participation unsafe or confound results.

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

October 1 2025

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation :

ESTIMATED

End Date :

December 1 2027

Estimated Enrollment :

76 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT07189897

Start Date

October 1 2025

End Date

December 1 2027

Last Update

October 8 2025

Active Locations (1)

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SUNY Upstate

Syracuse, New York, United States, 13210