MedPath

Glutathione in Preventing Peripheral Neuropathy Caused by Paclitaxel and Carboplatin in Patients With Ovarian Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, and/or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Chemotherapeutic Agent Toxicity
Neuropathy
Neurotoxicity Syndrome
Pain
Stage IIIA Fallopian Tube Cancer
Stage IIIA Ovarian Cancer
Stage IIIA Primary Peritoneal Cancer
Stage IIIB Fallopian Tube Cancer
Stage IIIB Primary Peritoneal Cancer
Stage IIIB Ovarian Cancer
Interventions
Other: Laboratory Biomarker Analysis
Other: Placebo
Other: Quality-of-Life Assessment
Registration Number
NCT02311907
Lead Sponsor
Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
Brief Summary

This randomized phase III trial is studying glutathione to see how well it works in preventing peripheral neuropathy caused by paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and/or primary peritoneal cancer. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemoprotective drugs, such as glutathione, may help prevent peripheral neuropathy caused by paclitaxel and carboplatin. It is not yet known whether glutathione is more effective than a placebo in preventing peripheral neuropathy.

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To compare TAXOL (paclitaxel)/carboplatin (CBDCA) induced peripheral neuropathy as measured by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)- Quality of Life (QOL)-chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy 20 (CIPN20) between glutathione (GSH) and placebo arms.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To compare the incidences of grade 2+ and grade 3+ TAXOL/CBDCA induced peripheral neuropathy measured by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) neuropathy scale between GSH and placebo arms.

II. To compare the time to onset of grade 2+ and grade 3+ TAXOL/CBDCA induced peripheral neuropathy between GSH and placebo arms, measured by CTCAE neuropathy scale.

III. To compare the proportion of patients requiring chemotherapy dose reductions secondary to TAXOL/CBDCA induced peripheral neuropathy between GSH and placebo arms.

IV. To compare the proportion of patients stopping TAXOL/CBDCA secondary to peripheral neuropathy between GSH and placebo arms.

V. To assess the toxicity profile of GSH in this situation. VI. To evaluate whether GSH influences the anti-tumor activity of TAXOL/CBDCA. VII. To evaluate patient quality of life (QOL) measured by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Ovarian (FACT-O) (ovarian/fallopian tube/primary peritoneal cancer patients only) and patient daily symptom questionnaires over time between GSH and placebo arms.

TERTIARY:

I. To explore the association of genetic variations in genes involved in taxane/platinum metabolism with incidence of grade 2+ TAXOL/CBDCA induced peripheral neuropathy.

II. As part of ongoing research for North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) studies, we are banking blood products for future studies.

OUTLINE:

Patients are stratified according to baseline neuropathy (none vs grade 1), debulked status (no gross residual disease \[no clinically apparent residual lesions at the completion of primary surgery\] vs optimal \[largest residual lesion \< 1 cm at primary surgery\] vs sub-optimally debulked \[residual lesion \> 1 cm\] or not operated upon), and cancer type (ovarian/fallopian tube/primary peritoneal cancers vs lung cancer vs other). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. Patients are grouped based on, Planned paclitaxel dose cycle length (Weekly vs. every 3 weeks vs. every 4 weeks). The stratification factors listed include demographic, prognostic factors and medication that can potentially impact the primary or secondary outcomes, so they need to be distributed evenly among the two arms. The 18 level combinations involved in these four stratification factors are within the maximum recommended of one half of the group sample size for the study.

Ideally, patients begin receiving glutathione before their first dose of chemotherapy, but must begin glutathione before their second dose of chemotherapy.

ARM I: Patients receive glutathione intravenously (IV) over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.

ARM II: Patients receive placebo IV over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.

NOTE: \*Alternatively, patients may receive paclitaxel IV over 1 hour and glutathione/placebo IV over 15 minutes weekly and carboplatin every 21 days for 12 weeks.

Blood samples are collected periodically for pharmacogenomic and other biomarker analyses. Patients complete questionnaires periodically, including quality-of-life assessments.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 1 year.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
195
Inclusion Criteria
  • Scheduled to undergo treatment with TAXOL at 150-200 mg/m2 and CBDCA at area under the curve (AUC) = 5-7 every 21 or 28 days for at least 12 weeks; alternatively, paclitaxel can be prescribed at 80 mg/m2 weekly for at least 12 weeks, with the same CBDCA dose of AUC = 5-7 every 21 days; additional chemotherapy agents are allowed (bevacizumab, etoposide, etc) per physician discretion, as long as they are not known to be neurotoxic; Note: patients ideally will begin GSH therapy prior to their first dose of this chemotherapy, but must begin GSH therapy prior to their second dose of chemotherapy
  • Ability to sign informed consent and understand the nature of a placebo-controlled trial
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2
  • Ability to complete English language questionnaire(s) by themselves or with assistance
  • Life expectancy >= 6 months
  • Negative pregnancy test done =< 7 days prior to registration, for women of childbearing potential only, per clinician discretion
  • Willingness to provide blood specimens as required by the protocol
  • White blood cell (WBC) >= 3400
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1500
  • Platelet (PLT) >= 100,000
  • Hemoglobin (HgB) > 10.0
  • Creatinine =< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
Exclusion Criteria
  • Pre-existing history of peripheral neuropathy > grade 1 (National Cancer Institute [NCI] CTCAE version [v] 4.0) due to any cause (e.g., chemotherapy, diabetes, alcohol, toxin, or heredity)

  • Other medical conditions, which in the opinion of the treating physician/allied health professional would make this protocol unreasonably hazardous for the patient

  • Any of the following:

    • Pregnant women
    • Nursing women
    • Women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception
  • Prior TAXOL and/or CBDCA chemotherapy treatment (other than the current treatment regimen)

  • Concurrent use of any agent being used specifically to prevent or treat neuropathy, including but not limited to the following:

    • Gabapentin
    • Glutamine powder or glutamine tablets
    • Vitamin B6 or E

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Arm I (glutathione, carboplatin)Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisPatients receive glutathione intravenously (IV) over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Arm I (glutathione, carboplatin)Quality-of-Life AssessmentPatients receive glutathione intravenously (IV) over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Arm II (placebo, paclitaxel)Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisPatients receive placebo IV over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Arm II (placebo, paclitaxel)PlaceboPatients receive placebo IV over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Arm II (placebo, paclitaxel)Quality-of-Life AssessmentPatients receive placebo IV over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Arm I (glutathione, carboplatin)GlutathionePatients receive glutathione intravenously (IV) over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Arm I (glutathione, carboplatin)CarboplatinPatients receive glutathione intravenously (IV) over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Arm II (placebo, paclitaxel)CarboplatinPatients receive placebo IV over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Arm I (glutathione, carboplatin)PaclitaxelPatients receive glutathione intravenously (IV) over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Arm II (placebo, paclitaxel)PaclitaxelPatients receive placebo IV over 15 minutes, paclitaxel\* IV over 1 or 3 hours depending on planned dose cycle length and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Paclitaxel/Carboplatin (PC) Induced Peripheral Neuropathy as Assessed by EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), Quality of Life (QLQ), Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy 20 (CIPN20)).Every 28 day cycle, up to 6 cycles.

The CIPN sensory subscale will be calculated by standard scoring algorithm and converted to 0-100 scale (higher scores indicated less symptoms and better quality of life). Generalized linear models (repeated measures analysis of variance \[ANOVA\] if data are complete) will be used to compare the CIPN between Glutathione (GSH) and placebo arms.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Patient Reported Quality of Life as Assessed by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Ovarian (FACT-O) and Patient Daily-symptom Questionnaires Over Time.Baseline to 1 year

Quality of life was measured by FACT-O (on a 0 to 100 scale, higher scores represent better life quality) from baseline and at the end of TAXOL/CBDCA. The change in Quality of Life was calculated as the difference between baseline measure and end of treatment measure (with range from -100 to 100). A negative change represents a worsening in QOL from baseline to one year. Abbreviations used: Change from Baseline (chg from bsl)

Recurrence-free Survival (for Patients Without Clinical Evidence of Disease)Up to 1 year

A log-rank test and a Kaplan-Meier curve will be used to compare the recurrence free survival between GSH and placebo arms (for ovarian/fallopian tube/primary peritoneal patients only).

Paclitaxel Acute Pain Syndrome Incidence and Severity Between GSH and Placebo ArmsUp to 1 year

Descriptive statistics will be used to describe TAXOL/CBDCA acute pain syndrome incidence/severity between GSH and placebo arms. Pain was scored on a scale from 0-10, where 0 = 'No aches or pains' and 10 = 'Aches or pains as bad as can be.'

Percentage of Patients Delaying PC Chemotherapy Secondary to PNUp to 1 year

Patients delaying TAXOL/CBDCA secondary to peripheral neuropathy between GSH and placebo arms.

Percentage of Patients Undergoing Dose Reductions Secondary to PCI PNUp to 1 year

Proportion of patients requiring chemotherapy dose reductions secondary to TAXOL/CBDCA induced peripheral neuropathy between GSH and placebo arms.

Percentage of Patients With Grade 2+ and Grade 3+ Paclitaxel/Carboplatin-induced (PCI) Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) According to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Neuropathy ScaleUp to 1 year

Proportion of grade 2+ and grade 3+ chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) at any time during or at the end of the TAXOL/CBDCA based chemotherapy between GSH and placebo arms. Neuropathy scale has grades 1 through 5 (1-mild, Grade 2 Moderate, Grade 3 Severe, Grade 4 Life-threatening and Grade 5 Death related to AE).

Times to Onset of CTCAE Grade 2+ PNUp to 1 year

Compare time to grade 2+ CIPN between GSH and placebo arms.

Times to Onset of CTCAE Grade 3+ PNUp to 5 years from registration

Time to grade 3+ CIPN between GSH and placebo arms.

Trial Locations

Locations (388)

Providence Hospital

🇺🇸

Mobile, Alabama, United States

Fairbanks Memorial Hospital

🇺🇸

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Mayo Clinic in Arizona

🇺🇸

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Northbay Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Fairfield, California, United States

Cancer Care Associates of Fresno Medical Group Inc

🇺🇸

Fresno, California, United States

Saint Joseph Hospital - Orange

🇺🇸

Orange, California, United States

UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Orange, California, United States

Feather River Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Paradise, California, United States

Sutter Roseville Medical Center

🇺🇸

Roseville, California, United States

Sutter General Hospital

🇺🇸

Sacramento, California, United States

Scroll for more (378 remaining)
Providence Hospital
🇺🇸Mobile, Alabama, United States

MedPath

Empowering clinical research with data-driven insights and AI-powered tools.

© 2025 MedPath, Inc. All rights reserved.