Epoetin Alfa in Treating Anemia in Patients Who Are Receiving Chemotherapy

Breast Cancer Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Phase III Randomized Double-Blind Study of Erythropoietin Versus Placebo in Anemic Patients With Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00003600
• Other study ID #: NCCTG-979253
• Secondary ID: CDR0000066673NCI
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• First received: November 1, 1999
• Last updated: July 12, 2016
• Start date: December 1998
• Est. completion date: January 2010

Study information

• Verified date: July 2016
• Source: Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Federal Government
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

RATIONALE: Epoetin alfa may stimulate red blood cell production and treat anemia in patients with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy. It is not yet known whether epoetin alfa is more effective than a placebo in treating anemia in patients receiving chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Randomized double blinded phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of epoetin alfa with a placebo in treating anemia in cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy.

Description:

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine whether epoetin alfa treatment improves the quality of life in anemic patients who are undergoing chemotherapy for advanced malignancy. II. Determine whether epoetin alfa increases hemoglobin levels and decreases transfusion requirements in these patients. III. Validate or refute the use of an algorithm using pre- and posttreatment epoetin alfa, ferritin, and hemoglobin levels to predict 16 weeks response or no response to therapeutic doses of epoetin alfa as set forth by these patients. IV. Explore whether anemic patients receiving platinum-containing chemotherapy regimens experience less nephrotoxicity if they receive concurrent epoetin alfa compared to those who receive placebo.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double blind study. Patients are stratified by primary malignant disease (lung vs breast vs other), life expectancy (4-6 months vs greater than 6 months), planned concurrent radiotherapy (yes vs no), and degree of anemia (mild or at least 9 g/dL vs severe or less than 9 g/dL). Patients receiving chemotherapy are randomized to receive epoetin alfa subcutaneously once a week for a maximum of 16 weeks (arm I) or placebo subcutaneously once a week for a maximum of 16 weeks (arm II). Quality of life is assessed at randomization and monthly throughout study. Patients are followed every 6 months for 1 year.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 344
• Est. completion date: January 2010
• Est. primary completion date: December 2001
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Anemic: Hemoglobin in males less than 11.5 g/dL; hemoglobin in females less than 10.0 g/dL No anemia secondary to B12, folic acid, or iron deficiency No anemia secondary to gastrointestinal bleed or hemolysis No anemia secondary to a primary or chemotherapy-induced myelodysplastic syndrome No anemia secondary to acute lymphocytic leukemia Histologically confirmed advanced malignancy Lung Breast Other Currently receiving myelosuppressive, cytotoxic chemotherapy for advanced cancer No patients receiving adjuvant therapy for cancer that has been surgically removed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: At least 4 months Hematopoietic: See Disease Characteristics Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified Cardiovascular: No uncontrolled hypertension (systolic at least 180, diastolic at least 100) Other: Normal or elevated ferritin No known hypersensitivity to epoetin alfa Must be able to reliably take oral medication Must be alert and mentally competent Not pregnant or nursing

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: At least 1 year since prior epoetin alfa At least 2 weeks since prior red blood cell transfusions No concurrent peripheral blood stem cell or bone marrow transplantation Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: Concurrent radiotherapy allowed Surgery: See Disease Characteristics

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator), Primary Purpose: Supportive Care

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Anemia
• Breast Cancer
• Chronic Myeloproliferative Disorders
• Drug/Agent Toxicity by Tissue/Organ
• Intestinal Neoplasms
• Leukemia
• Lung Cancer
• Lymphoma
• Multiple Myeloma
• Multiple Myeloma and Plasma Cell Neoplasm
• Myeloproliferative Disorders
• Neoplasms, Plasma Cell
• Plasmacytoma
• Precancerous Condition
• Precancerous Conditions
• Small Intestine Cancer
• Unspecified Adult Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific

Intervention

Biological:
• epoetin alfa

Other:
• placebo

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	Allan Blair Cancer Centre	Regina	Saskatchewan
United States	Medcenter One Health System	Bismarck	North Dakota
United States	CCOP - Cedar Rapids Oncology Project	Cedar Rapids	Iowa
United States	CCOP - Geisinger Clinic and Medical Center	Danville	Pennsylvania
United States	CCOP - Iowa Oncology Research Association	Des Moines	Iowa
United States	CCOP - Duluth	Duluth	Minnesota
United States	CCOP - Merit Care Hospital	Fargo	North Dakota
United States	Altru Health Systems	Grand Forks	North Dakota
United States	CCOP - Ochsner	New Orleans	Louisiana
United States	CCOP - Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium	Omaha	Nebraska
United States	CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association	Peoria	Illinois
United States	Rapid City Regional Hospital	Rapid City	South Dakota
United States	Mayo Clinic Cancer Center	Rochester	Minnesota
United States	CentraCare Clinic	Saint Cloud	Minnesota
United States	CCOP - Scottsdale Oncology Program	Scottsdale	Arizona
United States	Siouxland Hematology-Oncology	Sioux City	Iowa
United States	CCOP - Sioux Community Cancer Consortium	Sioux Falls	South Dakota
United States	CCOP - Toledo Community Hospital Oncology Program	Toledo	Ohio
United States	CCOP - Carle Cancer Center	Urbana	Illinois
United States	Howard University Cancer Center	Washington	District of Columbia
United States	CCOP - Wichita	Wichita	Kansas

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology	National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Countries where clinical trial is conducted

United States,  Canada, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Quality of life		Up to 12 months	No
Secondary	Predict response		Up to 12 months	No
Secondary	Response rate		Up to 12 months	No