A Randomized Phase III Study of Vitamins B6 and B12 to Prevent Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy in Cancer Patients

Phase 3

Completed

• Conditions: Cancer
• Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Multivitamin + Vitamin B12 + Vitamin B6; Dietary Supplement: Multivitamin (MV); Drug: Chemotherapy

• Registration Number: NCT00659269
• Lead Sponsor: New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance

Brief Summary

Many types of chemotherapy may cause nerve damage as a side effect. This neurotoxicity can manifest as peripheral sensory neuropathy (characterized by numbness, tingling, or pain). The goal of this study is to determine the efficacy of the combination of vitamin B6 and B12 in preventing chemotherapy induced neuropathy.

Detailed Description

Neuropathy can be a significant side effect of chemotherapy using platinum compounds, taxanes, and vinca alkaloids. There is clinical and preclinical data that vitamin B6 and B12 may alleviate neuropathy in experimentally induced neuropathy in animal models, or clinical neuropathy such as diabetic neuropathy. This is a randomized phase III study of the use of multivitamins with or without vitamin B6 and B12 to prevent or relieve neuropathic toxicity from chemotherapy in patients receiving chemotherapy. Patients will be stratified by type of chemotherapy agent (3 groups), presence or absence of neuropathy at baseline, and randomized to receive placebo or vitamin B6/B12 supplementation.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2006-07
• Study First Submitted: 2008-04-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2008-04-15
• Study First Posted: 2008-04-16
• Primary Completion: 2013-06
• Study Completion: 2015-06
• Results First Submitted: 2015-06-18
• Results First Submitted QC: 2015-12-16
• Status Verified: 2016-01
• Results First Posted: 2016-01-25
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-01-27
• Last Update Posted: 2016-02-26

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 319

Inclusion Criteria

1. All patients, 18 years of age or older, with a cancer treated with any of the following drugs are eligible:

   • Taxanes, vinca alkaloid analogs, heavy metals.

   • Each patient will be allocated to the following 3 groups:

     • Group 1 (Heavy metals): Patients treated with cisplatin (>25 mg/m2/week dose intensity) or oxaliplatin
     • Group 2 (Taxane): Patients treated with paclitaxel, docetaxel or abraxane
     • Group 3 (Vinca alkaloids): Patients treated with vincristine and vinorelbine.

2. Patients must have a life expectancy of at least 24 weeks.

3. Patients must have a Zubrod performance status of 0-2.

4. Patients must sign an informed consent.

5. Patients may have a grade 0 (chemotherapy naive) or 1 neuropathy (history of prior chemotherapy) prior to entry.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Patients with symptomatic brain metastases are excluded from this study.
2. Pregnant women or nursing mothers are not eligible for this trial. Patients of child bearing potential must use adequate contraception.
3. Patients may receive no other concurrent complementary medicines during this study.
4. Patients with neuropathy induced diabetes are not eligible for this study
5. Patients with severe medical problems such as uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular disease or active infections are not eligible for this trial.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Multivitamin (MV)	Chemotherapy	1 multivitamin pill will be taken orally, daily starting on the first day of chemotherapy and continuing for no more than 30 days past the cumulative chemotherapy dose (until the next cycle starts)
Multivitamin + Vitamin B12 + Vitamin B6	Multivitamin + Vitamin B12 + Vitamin B6	1 multivitamin pill will be taken orally, daily starting on the first day of chemotherapy and continuing for no more than 30 days past the cumulative chemotherapy dose (until the next cycle starts). The patient will also take the following, starting on the first day of chemotherapy: 1. pyridoxine 50 mg three times per day, orally and continue for no more than 30 days past the cumulative chemotherapy dose (until the next cycle starts) 2. Vitamin B12 one mg injected intramuscularly, every 3 or 4 weeks, depending on the timing of the chemotherapy for 4 doses.
Multivitamin (MV)	Multivitamin (MV)	1 multivitamin pill will be taken orally, daily starting on the first day of chemotherapy and continuing for no more than 30 days past the cumulative chemotherapy dose (until the next cycle starts)
Multivitamin + Vitamin B12 + Vitamin B6	Chemotherapy	1 multivitamin pill will be taken orally, daily starting on the first day of chemotherapy and continuing for no more than 30 days past the cumulative chemotherapy dose (until the next cycle starts). The patient will also take the following, starting on the first day of chemotherapy: 1. pyridoxine 50 mg three times per day, orally and continue for no more than 30 days past the cumulative chemotherapy dose (until the next cycle starts) 2. Vitamin B12 one mg injected intramuscularly, every 3 or 4 weeks, depending on the timing of the chemotherapy for 4 doses.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neurotoxicity Assessment at Baseline	At study start; prior to treatment (week 0)	Neurotoxicity is evaluated using The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Taxane (FACT-Tax) questionnaire. FACT-Tax is a validated, self-reported instrument. The questionnaire consists of 11 questions and possible scores for each question range from 0 (no neurotoxicity symptoms) to 4 (worst possible neurotoxicity symptoms). The total score for any patient can therefore range from 0 to 44. The questionnaire is given to patients to fill out at baseline (prior to chemotherapy treatment) and the mean total score for all patients is reported.
Neurotoxicity Assessment at Cycle 2	2 weeks	Neurotoxicity is evaluated using The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Taxane (FACT-Tax) questionnaire. FACT-Tax is a validated, self-reported instrument. The questionnaire consists of 11 questions and possible scores for each question range from 0 (no neurotoxicity symptoms) to 4 (worst possible neurotoxicity symptoms). The total score for any patient can therefore range from 0 to 44. The questionnaire is given to patients to complete at completion of cycle 2 of chemotherapy treatment and the mean total score for all patients is reported.
Neurotoxicity Assessment at Cycle 4	4 weeks	Neurotoxicity is evaluated using The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Taxane (FACT-Tax) questionnaire. FACT-Tax is a validated, self-reported instrument. The questionnaire consists of 16 questions and possible scores for each question range from 0 (no neurotoxicity symptoms) to 4 (worst possible neurotoxicity symptoms). The total score for any patient can therefore range from 0 to 44. The questionnaire is given to patients to fill out at completion of cycle 4 of their chemotherapy treatment and the mean total score for all patients is reported.
Change in Neurotoxicity Assessment Between Cycle 4 and Baseline	4 weeks	Neurotoxicity is evaluated using The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Taxane (FACT-Tax) questionnaire. FACT-Tax is a validated, self-reported instrument. The questionnaire consists of 11 questions and possible scores for each question range from 0 (no neurotoxicity symptoms) to 4 (worst possible neurotoxicity symptoms). The total score for any patient can therefore range from 0 to 44. The questionnaire is given to patients to fill out at baseline, cycle 2, and cycle 4 of their chemotherapy treatment. Change in neurotoxicity scores from baseline to the completion of 4 cycles are reported as the mean total score for all patients.

Trial Locations

Locations (5)

University of New Mexico Cancer Center @ Lovelace Medical Center; 🇺🇸 Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Hematology Oncology Associates; 🇺🇸 Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Cancer Center at Presbyterian Hospital; 🇺🇸 Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

New Mexico Cancer Care Associates; 🇺🇸 Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

University of New Mexico Cancer Center; 🇺🇸 Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States