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Black Cohosh in Treating Hot Flashes in Women Who Have or Who Are At Risk of Developing Breast Cancer

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Breast Cancer
Hot Flashes
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: black cohosh
Other: placebo
Registration Number
NCT00060320
Lead Sponsor
Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
Brief Summary

RATIONALE: The herbal supplement black cohosh may be effective in relieving hot flashes in women.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of black cohosh in relieving hot flashes in women who have breast cancer or who are at risk of developing breast cancer.

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES:

* Compare the efficacy of black cohosh vs placebo in diminishing hot flash activity in women with breast cancer OR a concern about taking hormones because of a fear of breast cancer.

* Determine whether continued use of this drug by these patients leads to prolonged reduction of the hot flash score with minimal toxic effects.

* Correlate the reduction of hot flash score with improvement in quality of life and related outcomes in patients treated with this drug.

* Determine the toxic effects of this drug in these patients.

* Determine whether abnormal sweating is decreased in patients treated with this drug.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Patients are stratified according to age (18 to 49 vs 50 and over), current tamoxifen use (yes vs no vs unknown), current raloxifene use (yes vs no vs unknown), current aromatase inhibitor use (yes vs no), duration of hot flash symptoms (less than 9 months vs 9 months or more), and average frequency of hot flashes per day (2-3 vs 4-9 vs 10 or more). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

* Arm I: Patients receive oral black cohosh twice daily for 4 weeks.

* Arm II: Patients receive oral placebo twice daily for 4 weeks. All patients then cross over to the other arm and receive treatment as above for 4 weeks.

After completion of the crossover treatment, all patients may opt to receive open-label black cohosh for an additional 8 weeks.

Patients complete a hot flash diary daily at baseline and during the 8-week double-blind study, and then daily for 8 weeks during optional open-label treatment.

Patients who opt to receive open-label black cohosh are followed at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 110 patients (55 patients per arm) will be accrued for this study within 6-11 months.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
132
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
placeboplaceboPatients receive oral placebo twice daily for 4 weeks. All patients then cross over to the other arm and receive treatment for 4 weeks. After completion of the crossover treatment, all patients may opt to receive open-label black cohosh for an additional 8 weeks. Patients complete a hot flash diary daily at baseline and during the 8-week double-blind study, and then daily for 8 weeks during optional open-label treatment. Patients who opt to receive open-label black cohosh are followed at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years.
black cohostplaceboPatients receive oral black cohosh twice daily for 4 weeks. All patients then cross over to the other arm and receive treatment for 4 weeks. After completion of the crossover treatment, all patients may opt to receive open-label black cohosh for an additional 8 weeks. Patients complete a hot flash diary daily at baseline and during the 8-week double-blind study, and then daily for 8 weeks during optional open-label treatment. Patients who opt to receive open-label black cohosh are followed at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years.
black cohostblack cohoshPatients receive oral black cohosh twice daily for 4 weeks. All patients then cross over to the other arm and receive treatment for 4 weeks. After completion of the crossover treatment, all patients may opt to receive open-label black cohosh for an additional 8 weeks. Patients complete a hot flash diary daily at baseline and during the 8-week double-blind study, and then daily for 8 weeks during optional open-label treatment. Patients who opt to receive open-label black cohosh are followed at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years.
placeboblack cohoshPatients receive oral placebo twice daily for 4 weeks. All patients then cross over to the other arm and receive treatment for 4 weeks. After completion of the crossover treatment, all patients may opt to receive open-label black cohosh for an additional 8 weeks. Patients complete a hot flash diary daily at baseline and during the 8-week double-blind study, and then daily for 8 weeks during optional open-label treatment. Patients who opt to receive open-label black cohosh are followed at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Hot flash activityUp to 3.5 years
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Reduction of hot flash scoreUp to 3.5 years
Quality of lifeUp to 3.5 years

Trial Locations

Locations (13)

CCOP - Iowa Oncology Research Association

🇺🇸

Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Mayo Clinic

🇺🇸

Jacksonville, Florida, United States

CCOP - Carle Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Urbana, Illinois, United States

Siouxland Hematology-Oncology

🇺🇸

Sioux City, Iowa, United States

CCOP - Metro-Minnesota

🇺🇸

Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, United States

Medcenter One Health System

🇺🇸

Bismarck, North Dakota, United States

CCOP - Mayo Clinic Scottsdale Oncology Program

🇺🇸

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

CCOP - Merit Care Hospital

🇺🇸

Fargo, North Dakota, United States

CCOP - Wichita

🇺🇸

Wichita, Kansas, United States

CCOP - Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium

🇺🇸

Omaha, Nebraska, United States

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Rochester, Minnesota, United States

CCOP - Michigan Cancer Research Consortium

🇺🇸

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

CCOP - Sioux Community Cancer Consortium

🇺🇸

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States

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