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Early-stage Breast CancerPhase 4REaCT-TAPSNCT03348696

Comparing Tapering Low Dose Dexamethasone to Other Standard of Care Therapies for TAPS in Breast Cancer Patients

A Phase 4 study testing Dexamethasone tapering dose and Dexamethasone physician choice in people with Early-stage Breast Cancer and Pain Syndrome, run by Ottawa Hospital Research Institute at 2 sites in Canada.

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

The REaCT TAPS clinical trial will compare a tapering dose of dexamethasone to other standards of care on the presence of taxane-associated pain syndrome (TAPS) in early stage breast cancer. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 19 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Early-stage Breast Cancer, Pain Syndrome
What is being tested?
Dexamethasone tapering dose and Dexamethasone physician choice
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
124 participants
Where
2 sitesCanada
Study dates
28 Feb 2018to 2 Apr 2019
Phase
Phase 4
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 19 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Patients receiving docetaxel-based chemotherapy (Docetaxel 75mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide once every 21 days; or Docetaxel 75mg/m2 and carboplatin and trastuzumab once every 21 days or Fluoro-uracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide for 3 cycles once every 21 days, then docetaxel 100mg/m2 once every 21 days; or Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide for 3 cycles, then docetaxel 100mg/m2 once every 21 days) for early stage breast cancer.
  • English literacy and ability to complete questionnaire
  • ≥19 years of age

Who cannot join

  • Contraindication to dexamethasone
  • Unable to give informed consent
  • Prior receipt of taxane-based chemotherapy
  • Patient has a significant emotional or psychiatric disorder that in the opinion of the investigator precludes study entry.

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Canada2 sites
  • Southlake Regional Cancer Centre

    Newmarket, Ontario

  • The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre

    Ottawa, Ontario, k1H 8L6

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: A Multi-Centre Randomised Study Comparing Tapering Low Dose Dexamethasone to Other Standard of Care Therapies for Taxane- Associated Pain Syndrome (TAPS) in Breast Cancer Patients (OTT 17-02 REaCT-TAPS)

The REaCT TAPS clinical trial will compare a tapering dose of dexamethasone to other standards of care on the presence of taxane-associated pain syndrome (TAPS) in early stage breast cancer.

Read the detailed description

Taxanes such as docetaxel and paclitaxel are widely used chemotherapeutic agents in patients with early stage breast cancer and is commonly associated with taxane-associated pain syndrome (TAPS). TAPS is characterized by disabling pain which usually starts a few days after taxane administration and lasting 2-5 days, often returning following subsequent chemotherapy treatments. TAPS can significantly reduce a patients quality of life, lead to requirements for potent analgesics, as well as dose reductions/delays or discontinuation of chemotherapy. There is currently no clinical guidelines for the optimal standard of care for the management and prevention of TAPS. This REaCT clinical trial investigates the optimal management of TAPS with a tapering dose of dexamethasone (standard premedication comprising 8mg twice daily for 3 days followed by 4mg once a day for 2 days followed by 2mg once a day for 2 days) compared to other standard of care management (i.e. standard premedication with 8mg dexamethasone twice daily for 3 days) as directed by the treating physician. This study will use an "integrated consent model" that involves "oral consent" rather than a written informed consent writing process.

Being tested
Dexamethasone tapering dose, Dexamethasone physician choice
Medical subject headings
Breast Neoplasms, Somatoform Disorders

What participants receive

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

  • Dexamethasone tapering doseDrug

    Also called dexamethasone sodium phosphate, dexamethasone acetate

    dexamethasone standard of care pre-medication + dexamethasone tapering dose

  • Dexamethasone physician choiceDrug

    Also called dexamethasone sodium phosphate, dexamethasone acetate

    Dexamethasone standard of care pre-medication + dexamethasone physician choice

Study groups in NCT03348696
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
dexamethasone tapering doseActive comparatorstandard dexamethasone pre-medication (8mg B.I.D x 3 days commencing the day before chemotherapy) then 4mg 1x/d for 2 days followed by 2mg 1x/d for 2 days
Receives: Drug: Dexamethasone tapering dose
dexamethasone physician choiceActive comparatorstandard dexamethasone pre-medication (i.e. 8mg B.I.D x 3 days commencing the day before chemotherapy) then physician choice interventions
Receives: Drug: Dexamethasone physician choice

What is being measured

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

  1. Evaluation of TAPS

    TAPS will be evaluated using the validated Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT)-Taxane questionnaire which rates physical, social/family, emotional and functional well being on a scale of 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much)

    Measured: Change in TAPS from Days 1-7, 3 weeks

Secondary outcomes (6)
  1. Quality of Life

    Quality of Life will be evaluated using the FACT-Taxane questionnaire which rates physical, social/family, emotional and functional well being on a scale of 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much)

    Measured: Time Frame: Days 1,3,5,7 and 3 weeks

  2. Quality of Life

    Quality of Life will be evaluated using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) which measures prevalence (scale 1 (rarely) to 4 (almost constantly), severity (scale 1(slight) to 4 (very severe)) and level of distress (scale 0 (none) to 4 (very much)) of symptoms on a scale of 1-4

    Measured: Time Frame: Days 1,3,5,7 and 3 weeks

  3. Pain scores

    Pain scores will be evaluated using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), which assesses the severity of pain on a scale of 1 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable), and relief of pain treatments on a scale of 0% (no relief) to 100% (complete relief)

    Measured: Time Frame: Days 1,3,5,7 and 3 weeks

  4. Use of rescue analgesic

    requirement of use of rescue analgesics will be assessed by daily morphine equivalent dosing

    Measured: Time Frame: Days 1,3,5,7, 3 weeks

  5. Symptoms and signs associated with dexamethasone

    this will be evaluated using the dexamethasone questions of the FACT-T questionnaire which asks questions specific to symptoms associated with dexamethasone on a scale of 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much)

    Measured: baseline and Day 7

  6. Cost effectiveness

    Incremental cost, incremental quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental cost effectiveness will be be evaluated using the EuroQol (EQ)-5D-5L questionnaire. This scale evaluates quality of life (mobility, self-care, pain/discomfort, anxiety) on a scale of 1 (no problem)-5 (severe problem)

    Measured: baseline and Day 7

Timeline

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

  1. First posted21 Nov 2017
  2. Study start28 Feb 2018
  3. Primary completion2 Apr 2019
  4. Study completion2 Apr 2019

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 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
124 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03348696
Sponsor's protocol ID
OTT 17-02
Acronym
REaCT-TAPS
Status last verified
Jan 2020
First submitted
27 Sep 2017
Last updated
9 Jan 2020
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Clemons M, Simos D, Sienkiewicz M, Ng T, Zibdawi L, Basulaiman B, Awan A, Fergusson D, Vandermeer L, Saunders D, Hutton B, Amir E; REThinking Clinical Trials (REaCT) Investigators. A prospective multi-centre, randomized study comparing the addition of tapering dexamethasone to other standard of care therapies for taxane-associated pain syndrome (TAPS) in breast cancer patients. Support Care Cancer. 2021 Oct;29(10):5787-5795. doi: 10.1007/s00520-021-06142-8. Epub 2021 Mar 19.

    PubMed 33742240

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing Dexamethasone tapering dose and Dexamethasone physician choice in people with Early-stage Breast Cancer and Pain Syndrome, run by Ottawa Hospital Research Institute at 2 sites in Canada.

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 3 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 9 Jan 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Canada. 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.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

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?

Evaluation of TAPS (time frame: Change in TAPS from Days 1-7, 3 weeks). 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 NCT03348696, 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 9 Jan 2020.

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