Androgen for Leydig Cell Proliferation

Klinefelter Syndrome Clinical Trial

— ALCeP  

Official title:

Androgen Treatment in Leydig Cell Proliferation

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01206270
• Other study ID #: 160/10
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2/Phase 3
• Start date: June 2009
• Est. completion date: June 2018

Study information

• Verified date: September 2018
• Source: University of Roma La Sapienza
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Patients with infertility often presents alterations at ultrasonographic examination of the testis. These alterations include a much higher incidence of small, multiple, non-palpable hypoechoic micro-nodules that can show internal vascularization. This finding often create alarm and anxiety, because it has to be placed in a differential diagnosis versus low-stage malignant germ cell tumors. Nevertheless, explorative surgery reveal that a consistent number of these lesion are benign, due to Leydig cell hyperplasia or Leydig cell tumours. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of androgen therapy on the size and number of non-palpable hypoechoic micro-nodules in patients with elevated gonadotropin levels.

Description:

Patients with the testicular dysgenesis syndrome, that comprises a variable spectrum of clinical manifestations, such as infertility, cryptorchidism, hypospadias, impaired spermatogenesis and testicular germ cell neoplasms, often develop alterations in the Leydig cell compartment. These alterations range from abnormal localization and clustering to hyperplasia or tumorous formation.

Leydig cell tumors (LCTs), although uncommon in the general population, are the most frequent non-germ cell testicular neoplasms, and their incidence has been reported increasingly growing, especially in infertile patients. Given that the focal areas of Leydig cell hyperplasia are nowadays easily detectable at ultrasonography of the testis (US), as small non-palpable hypoechoic micro-nodules that can show internal vascularization, their finding create a diagnostic challenge versus low-stage malignant germ cell tumors.

Patients with testicular dysgenesis syndrome in general exhibit an elevation of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), but in these patients, very frequently, even Luteinizing Hormone (LH) is above the reference range. The latter can work as a growth factor for Leydig cells. Since exogenous testosterone can suppress LH levels, it could be that androgen therapy could revert the LH-induced growth stimulation of Leydig cell compartment.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of androgen therapy on the size and number of non-palpable hypoechoic micro-nodules in patients with elevated gonadotropin levels.

The purpose of this study is also to evaluate whether the behavior (UltraSonographic appearance, US) of the non-palpable hypoechoic micro-nodules during a 4-month trial of testosterone therapy can offer a novel diagnostic tool in the differential diagnosis of benign versus malignant testicular nodules.

The trial will be open only for patients with multiple non-palpable hypoechoic micro-nodules that have an elevation of both FSH and LH and that are not seeking conception.

Participants in the study will be randomized to one of two treatment groups, receiving either testosterone undecanoate (low-dose androgen) or placebo, for two 6 months. All participants will be evaluated for safety at the beginning of the study and at 2, 4, and 6 months with careful history, physical examination, blood sampling and testicular ultrasonography. Patients will also be offered the possibility to perform Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the testis at baseline and after treatment, and/or surgical enucleation of the lesions.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 56
• Est. completion date: June 2018
• Est. primary completion date: June 2017
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Male
• Age group: 18 Years to 60 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Non-palpable Multiple hypoechoic testicular nodules (with the largest having a diameter > 2 mm and < 12 mm)

• Serum Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) > 7 mIU/ml (m-International-Unit/ml)

• Serum Luteinizing hormone (LH) > 7 IU (International-Unit/ml)

• Infertility: Klinefelter Syndrome, Hypergonadotropic Hypogonadism, Hypergonadotropic Azospermia, Hypergonadotropic Cryptozoospermia

• negative testicular tumors markers: beta-hCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin), alpha-FP (alpha-Feto-Protein), CEA (Carcinoembryonic antigen), LDH (Lactate dehydrogenase), ferritin, PLAP (Placental Alkaline Phosphatase).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism

• FSH o LH < 7 UI

• non-homogeneous testicular lesion > 12 mm

• positive testicular tumors markers: beta-hCG, alpha-FP, CEA, LDH, ferritin, PLAP

• patients with contraindication to testosterone therapy: prostate cancer, PSA>4 ng/ml, severe hepatic or renal insufficiency, Hb>17, Htc>52%, severe urinary retention

• desire to conceive

• history of germ-cell testicular neoplasia

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Azoospermia
• Hypergonadotropic Azospermia
• Hypergonadotropic Cryptozoospermia
• Hypergonadotropic Hypogonadism
• Hypogonadism
• Klinefelter Syndrome

Intervention

Drug:
• Testosterone undecanoate
Testosterone undecanoate 1000mg (in 4 ml of castor oil injections) at baseline (0-week), 6-week, 18-week, 30-week
• Castor Oil
4 ml of Castor Oil injected at baseline (0-week), 6-week, 18-week, 30-week.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Italy	Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medica	Rome	Lazio

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Roma La Sapienza

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Italy, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Nodule Size per Number	Percentage change of the area of the lesions multiplied by the number of the measured lesions: [(area_1 + area_2 + area_3 + ... + area_n)*n].; The latter measure account for reduction in the number of lesions (disappearance).	4 month
Secondary	Nodule Size	Percentage change in the area of the lesion (measured with computer assisted graphics).	4 month
Secondary	Luteinizing Hormone (LH)	Reduction of the serum Luteinizing Hormone (LH) levels during testosterone therapy	2 month
Secondary	Spermatogenesis	Evaluation of sperm cell production after testosterone withdrawal.	8 month (follow-up)
Secondary	Testicular US echo-texture	Changes in the number of areas / nodules / lesions in the long-term safety assessment	36 month (follow-up)