AzTrials
AzTrials

Stomach NeoplasmsPhase 3NCT00036400

Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Epoetin Alfa Administered Weekly in Patients With Gastric or Rectal Cancers Undergoing a Treatment Plan of Preoperative Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy, Followed by Surgery

A Phase 3 study testing epoetin alfa in people with Stomach Neoplasms and Rectal Neoplasms, run by Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C..

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of epoetin alfa on the reduction in red blood cell transfusions needed in gastric cancer patients and rectal cancer patients undergoing a treatment plan of preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy, followed by surgery. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Stomach Neoplasms, Rectal Neoplasms
What is being tested?
epoetin alfa
How many people
60 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Dec 2001to Dec 2003
Phase
Phase 3
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Patients must have a confirmed diagnosis of gastric cancer or rectal cancer for whom the treatment plan is preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy, followed by surgery
  • have a life expectancy of greater than 6 months
  • have a baseline hemoglobin value of >= 10 g/dL and < 15 g/dL and adequate hematologic function
  • have adequate liver and kidney function
  • if female, must be postmenopausal, surgically sterile, or practicing an effective method of birth control.

Who cannot join

  • Rectal cancer patients who have received chemotherapy or gastric cancer patients who have received more than two cycles of chemotherapy
  • anemia due to factors other than cancer or chemotherapy (e.g., iron, vitamin B12 or folate deficiencies, hemolysis or gastrointestinal bleeding)
  • history of any other major medical condition or uncontrolled disease
  • had a transfusion of white blood cells or packed red blood cells within one month prior to study entry or administration of androgen (male sex hormone) therapy within 2 months of study entry
  • have received prior treatment with epoetin alfa or any investigational forms of erythropoietin within the previous six months.

About this study

Official title: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Epoetin Alfa Administered Weekly in Patients With Gastric or Rectal Cancers Undergoing Preoperative Chemoradiation Followed by Surgery

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of epoetin alfa on the reduction in red blood cell transfusions needed in gastric cancer patients and rectal cancer patients undergoing a treatment plan of preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy, followed by surgery.

Read the detailed description

Cancer patients often experience anemia due to the disease itself, chemotherapy, or both. Quality of life is also affected, in part because of the fatigue associated with anemia. Previous studies with epoetin alfa have suggested that achieving a higher hemoglobin level may improve quality of life and help patients live longer. The primary objective of the study is to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of epoetin alfa on the reduction in red blood cell transfusions needed in gastric and rectal cancer patients undergoing preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy (chemoradiation), followed by surgery. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of 40,000 to 60,000 Units of epoetin alfa or matching placebo injected under the skin once weekly for up to 16 weeks (starting 1 week before chemoradiation and extending up to 4 weeks after surgery) in reducing red blood cell transfusions during the 16-week period. Other effectiveness measures include the ability of epoetin alfa to maintain baseline hemoglobin levels during the chemoradiation and its effect on quality of life and tumor response during the study period. The safety of epoetin alfa will be assessed by incidence and severity of adverse events, clinical laboratory tests, physical examinations, and vital signs. The hypothesis of the study is that epoetin alfa is superior to placebo in reducing the number of transfusions, preventing anemia and improving quality of life during chemoradiation, surgery, and immediately after surgery. 40,000 to 60,000 Units of epoetin alfa or placebo injected under the skin once weekly for up to 16 weeks. First 4 weeks the dose is 40,000 Units; increased to 60,000 Units weekly starting at week 4 of chemoradiation if hemoglobin decreases by >=1 g/dL and/or is <=13 g/dL after 4 weeks of treatment.

Being tested
epoetin alfa
Keywords
Anemia, Gastric Cancer, Rectal Cancer, Epoetin Alfa
Medical subject headings
Stomach Neoplasms, Rectal Neoplasms, Anemia

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • epoetin alfaDrug

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Number of red blood cell transfusions

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Hemoglobin levels during preoperative chemoradiation; effect on quality of life measured by patient self-reported Linear Analog Scale Assessment, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Anemia, and Brief Fatigue Inventory; tumor response; safety

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 May 2002 (estimated)
  2. Study startDec 2001
  3. Study completionDec 2003

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Double blind
Enrolment
60 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00036400
Sponsor's protocol ID
CR002365
Status last verified
Apr 2010
First submitted
9 May 2002
Last updated
10 Jun 2011
Results posted
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing epoetin alfa in people with Stomach Neoplasms and Rectal Neoplasms, run by Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C..

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Jun 2011. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Number of red blood cell transfusions. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Jun 2011.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in