Itraconazole as a Targeted Therapy for Inhibiting Hedgehog Pathway Signaling in Esophageal Cancer Patients

Feasibility of Itraconazole as a Targeted Therapy for Inhibition of Hedgehog Pathway Signaling in Patients With Esophageal Cancer

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that orally administered itraconazole, a commonly used antifungal medication, can inhibit Hedgehog pathway signaling in patients with esophageal cancer, including adenocarcinoma (EAC) and squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of esophageal cancer, including gastroesophageal junction cancer

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients unwilling or unable to provide informed consent
• Coagulopathy that precludes safe endoscopic/surgical procedure (platelet count <100,000/mm3, INR>1.5)
• Esophageal varices
• Comorbidity (e.g. pulmonary, cardiac, renal, or liver disease) that precludes safe participation in the study
• QTc>450 ms
• LFT's>3xULN
• Pregnancy
• Allergy to itraconazole
• History of symptomatic congestive heart failure