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Breast CancerNCT01814397

Pilot Study to Evaluate the Effect of Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy on Pain Threshold in Breast Cancer Patients

An observational study of Breast Cancer and Pain, run by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

Completed

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

Official record
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Trial summary

Postmenopausal women who have hormone receptor positive breast cancer are typically treated with aromatase inhibitor medications, which substantially decrease the amount of estrogen produced by their bodies. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 21 years and older, women only
Conditions the study is for
Breast Cancer, Pain, Arthralgia
What is being tested?
Anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
How many people
50 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Jul 2009to Feb 2013
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

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 21 years and older
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: Postmenopausal women with ER positive early stage breast cancer who are starting AI therapy

Who may be able to join

  • Female gender
  • Postmenopausal, age 21 or greater
  • Stage 0-III estrogen receptor and/or progesterone receptor positive breast cancer who will be receiving a standard dose of letrozole, anastrozole, or exemestane
  • Performance status 0-2
  • Willing to sign the consent form

Who cannot join

  • Average pain >=8/10 over the past 24 hours
  • Peripheral sensory neuropathy grade 2 or higher
  • Personal history of schizophrenia, or suicidal ideation or attempt within the past 2 years
  • Thumbnail abnormalities on either hand that are likely to alter pain perception during testing

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Prospective Pilot Study to Determine the Effect of Aromatase Inhibitor-induced Estrogen Depletion on Evoked Pain Threshold and Psychosocial Factors in Breast Cancer Patients

Postmenopausal women who have hormone receptor positive breast cancer are typically treated with aromatase inhibitor medications, which substantially decrease the amount of estrogen produced by their bodies. These medications are fairly well tolerated, but can cause aches and pains which can be quite severe in some cases.

People experience pain differently. Estrogen appears to play a role in how we experience pain. Therefore, decreasing estrogen levels may lead to more pain in some women than others. The goal of this study is to evaluate perception of pain in women with breast cancer, and to determine if differences in pain perception lead to more aches and pains in some women treated with aromatase inhibitors.

In this study, we plan to enroll 55 women with breast cancer who are starting treatment with an aromatase inhibitor. Participants will undergo testing to evaluate their perception of pain, and will also complete a set of questionnaires. Testing will be conducted before starting aromatase inhibitor therapy, as well as after 3 and 6 months of therapy. We will investigate whether pre-existing differences in pain perception lead to different amounts of pain during aromatase inhibitor therapy.

Being tested
Anastrozole, exemestane, letrozole
Keywords
Aromatase inhibitor, Pain threshold
Medical subject headings
Breast Neoplasms, Pain, Arthralgia

What participants receive

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

  • AnastrozoleDrug

    Also called Arimidex

    1 mg orally daily

  • exemestaneDrug

    Also called Aromasin

    25 mg orally daily

  • letrozoleDrug

    Also called Femara

    2.5 mg orally daily

Study groups in NCT01814397
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Women starting AI therapyThere is only a single cohort. Postmenopausal women with ER positive breast cancer who are starting treatment with anastrozole 1 mg daily, letrozole 2.5 mg daily, or exemestane 25 mg daily. Choice of therapy is at the discretion of the treating physician.
Receives: Drug: Anastrozole; Drug: exemestane; Drug: letrozole

What is being measured

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

  1. Mean Pain50 Assessed at Baseline, 3 Months and 6 Months

    Patients rated the intensity of each pressure sensation using a 0 to 100 numerical rating scale (0 = no pain, 100 = worst pain imaginable). Pain50 was defined as the amount of applied pressure in kilograms per square centimeter that evoked a pain intensity rating of 50 out of 100. Pain50 was assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Change in Pain50 with estrogen depletion was determined.

    Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Mean Conditioned Pain Modulation Assessed at Baseline, 3 Months, and 6 Months

    To assess conditioned pain modulation, pressure equivalent to the patient's Pain50 was applied to the non-dominant thumbnail for 30 seconds (test stimulus), and the patient rated the intensity of the pressure on a 0-100 pain scale at 10 second intervals. Ten minutes later pressure (conditioning stimulus) was continuously applied to the dominant thumbnail for 60 seconds at the same Pain50 intensity. After 30 seconds, the test stimulus was again applied to the non-dominant thumbnail for 30 seconds and the patient rated the intensity every 10 seconds. Conditioned pain modulation magnitude was calculated as the difference (second minus first) in the mean of the 3 pain ratings to the test stimulus applied prior to and during the conditioning stimulus. Conditioned pain modulation was assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Change over that time period was assessed. Higher conditioned pain modulation values indicate less efficient conditioned pain modulation.

    Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months

Timeline

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

  1. First posted19 Mar 2013 (estimated)
  2. Study startJul 2009
  3. Primary completionJul 2012
  4. Study completionFeb 2013

Resources

More details

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

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
50 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01814397
Sponsor's protocol ID
UMCC 2008.101
Other IDs
HUM00026034
Status last verified
Jan 2024
First submitted
15 Mar 2013
Last updated
7 Feb 2024
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Henry NL, Conlon A, Kidwell KM, Griffith K, Smerage JB, Schott AF, Hayes DF, Williams DA, Clauw DJ, Harte SE. Effect of estrogen depletion on pain sensitivity in aromatase inhibitor-treated women with early-stage breast cancer. J Pain. 2014 May;15(5):468-75. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2014.01.487. Epub 2014 Jan 22.

    PubMed 24462504

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Breast Cancer and Pain, run by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

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 4 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 7 Feb 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

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.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 4 Aug 2014). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

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?

Mean Pain50 Assessed at Baseline, 3 Months and 6 Months (time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01814397, which also lists 1 linked publication.

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 7 Feb 2024.

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