Pilot Study Comparing Hypnotherapy and Gabapentin for Hot Flashes.
Comparison of Hypnotherapy Versus Gabapentin in the Treatment of Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Survivors or Women at Risk of Developing Breast Cancer.
1 other identifier
interventional
27
1 country
1
Brief Summary
Premenopausal women with breast cancer who receive endocrine therapy (e.g. tamoxifen) and/or chemotherapy are at risk for experiencing premature menopause because of their treatment. The resulting symptoms, most notably hot flashes, can cause significant detriment to a patient's quality of life. Treatment for menopausal symptoms with the gold standard of hormone replacement therapy is not done routinely as it is unclear whether it can increase risk of tumor recurrence. In addition, many medical oncologists feel it is contraindicated in this population, especially among women whose breast cancers have estrogen receptors. This has lead to an increased interest in options other than estrogen replacement in the treatment of hot flashes, though most investigations of alternative medications have shown a suboptimal response. Recent studies have suggested that non-drug treatments using alternative or complementary therapies may be effective. Specifically, hypnosis has been promoted as a means to control hot flashes, though it has not been tested in a randomized fashion. In accordance with the National Cancer Institute's recent initiatives to expand the goals of clinical trials to include symptom management studies, our purpose is to evaluate the role of complementary and alternative therapies for improvement of symptoms in women with breast cancer. Specifically, we plan to evaluate the use of hypnotherapy for the treatment of therapy-induced hot flashes in breast cancer survivors. We intend to recruit 60 women into a pilot feasibility trial comparing hypnotherapy to the drug gabapentin (Neurontin®) for the treatment of therapy-induced hot flashes in eligible women who are receiving care at the Breast Health Center. We have chosen gabapentin based on recent studies showing it may be an effective non-estrogen treatment for this indication. We will identify patients who are experiencing at least one daily hot flash as a result of the treatment they received for their breast cancer for participation. When enrolled, they will be randomized into either the treatment arm, in which they will receive daily gabapentin, or the experimental arm, in which they will undergo weekly hypnotherapy. Our study hypothesis is that hypnotherapy will be more effective than gabapentin in the control of hot flashes in this population.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at below P25 for phase_3 breast-cancer
Started Jul 2008
Shorter than P25 for phase_3 breast-cancer
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
July 1, 2008
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 3, 2008
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
July 9, 2008
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
June 1, 2011
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
June 1, 2011
CompletedResults Posted
Study results publicly available
June 24, 2013
CompletedJune 24, 2013
May 1, 2013
2.9 years
July 3, 2008
March 5, 2012
May 14, 2013
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (6)
Number of Daily Hot Flashes
Patients kept daily diaries of their hot flashes. The absolute number of hot flashes in a 24 hour period is "number of daily hot flashes." The median number was calculated for each week of data. The median number of daily hot flashes for the first week (7 days) of participation is used as baseline. The median number of daily hot flashes for the fourth week (over 7 day interval) is reported for the week four time point. The median number of daily hot flashes for the eighth week (over 7 day interval) is reported for the week eight time point (study completion). Of the 13 women randomized to the hypnotherapy arm, 2 women were ineligible and therefore not included in analysis. Two women were unable to initiate treatment and did not submit diaries. An additional two women completed treatment but lost their diaries, leaving 7 diaries for analysis at baseline. Of the 14 randomized to receive gabapentin, 6 dropped out of the study and did not submit diaries.
Baseline
Number of Daily Hot Flashes
Patients kept daily diaries of their hot flashes. The absolute number of hot flashes in a 24 hour period is "number of daily hot flashes." The median number was calculated for each week of data. The median number of daily hot flashes for the first week (7 days) of participation is used as baseline. The median number of daily hot flashes for the fourth week (over 7 day interval) is reported for the week four time point. The median number of daily hot flashes for the eighth week (over 7 day interval) is reported for the week eight time point (study completion). A total of 15 diaries were submitted (7 hypnotherapy, 8 gabapentin). One person in each arm stopped recording in her diary before the 4 week mark.
Week 4
Number of Daily Hot Flashes
Patients kept daily diaries of their hot flashes. The absolute number of hot flashes in a 24 hour period is "number of daily hot flashes." The median number was calculated for each week of data. The median number of daily hot flashes for the first week (7 days) of participation is used as baseline. The median number of daily hot flashes for the fourth week (over 7 day interval) is reported for the week four time point. The median number of daily hot flashes for the eighth week (over 7 day interval) is reported for the week eight time point (study completion). One woman in the hypnotherapy arm and 3 women in the gabapentin arm stopped keeping their diary before the 8 week mark.
Week 8
Hot Flash Severity Score
The patients kept daily hot flash diaries, including the total number of hot flashes they characterized as mild, moderate,severe and very severe. Hot flash severity scores were calculated by assigning one point to each mild hot flash, two points for each moderate hot flash, three points for each severe hot flash and four points for each very severe hot flash. The hot flash severity score for a 24 hour period was the sum of these scores. The score was calculated for each day in the diary. For each subject, median scores were calculated for each week (7 day period) of participation. The median hot flash severity score for the first week was considered the baseline. The median hot flash severity score for the fourth week is considered the week 4 time point. The median hot flash severity score for the eighth week is considered the week 8 time point. The median result for the group was then calculated at each of the timepoints.
Baseline
Hot Flash Severity Score
The patients kept daily hot flash diaries, including the total number of hot flashes they characterized as mild, moderate,severe and very severe. Hot flash severity scores were calculated by assigning one point to each mild hot flash, two points for each moderate hot flash, three points for each severe hot flash and four points for each very severe hot flash. The hot flash severity score for a 24 hour period was the sum of these scores. The score was calculated for each day in the diary. For each subject, median scores were calculated for each week (7 day period) of participation. The median hot flash severity score for the first week was considered the baseline. The median hot flash severity score for the fourth week is considered the week 4 time point. The median hot flash severity score for the eighth week is considered the week 8 time point. The median result for the group was then calculated at each of the timepoints.
Week 4
Hot Flash Severity Score
The patients kept daily hot flash diaries, including the total number of hot flashes they characterized as mild, moderate,severe and very severe. Hot flash severity scores were calculated by assigning one point to each mild hot flash, two points for each moderate hot flash, three points for each severe hot flash and four points for each very severe hot flash. The hot flash severity score for a 24 hour period was the sum of these scores. The score was calculated for each day in the diary. For each subject, median scores were calculated for each week (7 day period) of participation. The median hot flash severity score for the first week was considered the baseline. The median hot flash severity score for the fourth week is considered the week 4 time point. The median hot flash severity score for the eighth week is considered the week 8 time point. The median result for the group was then calculated at each of the timepoints.
Week 8
Secondary Outcomes (3)
Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Score (HFRDIS)
Baseline
Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Score (HFRDIS)
Week 4
Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Score (HFRDIS)
Week 8
Study Arms (2)
Hypnotherapy
EXPERIMENTALPatients randomized to the experimental arm were scheduled for three one-hour inductions by a single hypnotherapist, each one week apart. Standardized outlines were used for each induction. The second and third sessions also began with a standardized induction, followed by the establishment of an "anchor," or physical reference point (forefinger to thumb), used to invoke images of coolness, which were individualized according to patient preference. Patients were also instructed by the same hypnotherapist in self-hypnosis and guided imagery techniques to be used at home with the assistance of standardized audio compact disks. Participation lasted eight weeks.
Gabapentin
ACTIVE COMPARATORPatients randomized to the gabapentin arm were prescribed 900mg of the drug daily (300 mg by mouth three times daily).
Interventions
Patients randomized to the hypnosis arm of the study will undergo individually three one-hour sessions with a certified hypnotherapist. These sessions will be one week apart. surveys. The therapist will be prohibited from asking subjects about clinical responses to the hypnosis sessions. The patients will also be instructed on self-hypnosis techniques to be used at home.
Patients randomized to the gabapentin arm will be prescribed 900mg of the drug daily (300 mg by mouth three times daily). This dose has been shown to be more effective than 300mg daily. Larger doses have not been evaluated in this population, and may be associated with a more significant side-effect profile. The prescription for gabapentin will be provided at the patient's enrollment appointment. The patients will take gabapentin as prescribed daily for the study-enrollment period, which is 8 weeks.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Women with histologic confirmation of a diagnosis of infiltrating carcinoma of the breast are eligible for participation.
- Women with non-invasive or pre-invasive lesions of the breast, including but not limited to ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) are eligible for participation.
- Women with a known breast cancer susceptibility gene (eg, BRCA) mutation or strong family history of breast cancer are eligible.
- Any woman age 60 years or more who cannot take estrogen therapy because of a real or perceived risk of developing breast cancer are eligible.
- Women under the age of 60 with a Gail model score of 1.6% or more are eligible.
- Subjective report of at least one daily hot flash.
- Able to provide voluntary informed consent.
- Karnofsky performance status \> 70%.
- Women with a history of breast cancer must have undergone treatment with curative intent.
- ≥ 4 weeks from completion of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, where appropriate.
- adequate hematopoietic function (ANC ≥ 1500/mm3; Platelets ≥ 100,000/mm3; Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL)
- adequate renal and hepatic function \[Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN), serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) ≤ 2.5x ULN, Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5x ULN, and Creatinine ≤ 2x ULN\].
- No clinical evidence of disease (complete remission).
- Patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy will be eligible following completion of all adjuvant chemotherapy if indicated.
- Patients receiving hormonal therapy in lieu of or following chemotherapy will be eligible to participate.
- +1 more criteria
You may not qualify if:
- History or active secondary cancer within the last 5 years (except for superficial basal cell skin cancers).
- Any residual chemotherapy-induced CTCv3.0 Grade 2 or greater non-hematological toxicity.
- Unable to give informed consent or unable to adhere to protocol.
- Any serious medical or psychiatric illness likely to interfere with participation in this clinical study, concurrent uncontrolled illness, or ongoing or active infection will be excluded.
- Any history of alcohol or drug abuse.
- Allergy to gabapentin.
- History of seizure disorder.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
Breast Health Center, Program in Women's Oncology, Women & Infants' Hospital of Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island, 02905, United States
Related Publications (33)
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PMID: 24022390DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Limitations and Caveats
We were unable to meet recruitment goals because of 1) lower-than-anticipated rate of referrals, and 2) subjects' unwillingness to randomization. This resulted in small numbers that limit interpretation of results.
Results Point of Contact
- Title
- Shannon MacLaughlan, MD
- Organization
- Stanford Hospital
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Shannon D MacLaughlan, MD
Women & Infants' Hospital of Rhode Island
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Don S Dizon, MD
Women & Infants' Hospital of Rhode Island
Publication Agreements
- PI is Sponsor Employee
- No
- Restrictive Agreement
- No
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 3
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- SUPPORTIVE CARE
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Shannon MacLaughlan, M.D.
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 3, 2008
First Posted
July 9, 2008
Study Start
July 1, 2008
Primary Completion
June 1, 2011
Study Completion
June 1, 2011
Last Updated
June 24, 2013
Results First Posted
June 24, 2013
Record last verified: 2013-05