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American Ginseng in Treating Patients With Cancer-Related Fatigue

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Fatigue
Unspecified Adult Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: American ginseng
Other: Placebo
Registration Number
NCT00182780
Lead Sponsor
Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
Brief Summary

RATIONALE: American ginseng may help relieve cancer-related fatigue.

PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well American ginseng works in treating patients with cancer-related fatigue.

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

* Compare the efficacy of American ginseng, administered at 3 different doses, vs placebo in patients with cancer-related fatigue.

Secondary

* Determine the toxic effects and tolerability of American ginseng in these patients.

* Determine the impact of American ginseng on quality of life-related variables (e.g., sleep, vitality, and quality of life domains) in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to disease stage (I or II vs III or IV vs unknown), gender (male vs female), baseline fatigue score (4-7 vs 8-10), concurrent chemotherapy (yes vs no), and concurrent radiotherapy (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 4 treatment arms.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
290
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Arm III - American ginseng (high-dose)American ginsengPatients receive oral American ginseng at the high dose twice daily for 8 weeks in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. After 8 weeks of treatment, patients in arms I-III may continue to receive American ginseng on the optional continuation portion of the study for an additional 8 weeks. Patients in arm IV may begin oral American ginseng twice daily for 8 weeks on the optional continuation portion of the study.
Arm I - American ginseng (low dose)American ginsengPatients receive oral American ginseng twice daily for 8 weeks in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. After 8 weeks of treatment, patients in arms I-III may continue to receive American ginseng on the optional continuation portion of the study for an additional 8 weeks. Patients in arm IV may begin oral American ginseng twice daily for 8 weeks on the optional continuation portion of the study. Quality of life is assessed at baseline, every 2 weeks during treatment, and at the end of treatment. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 280 patients (70 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 35 months.
Arm II - American ginseng (mid-dose)American ginsengPatients receive oral American ginseng at the mid-dose twice daily for 8 weeks in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. After 8 weeks of treatment, patients in arms I-III may continue to receive American ginseng on the optional continuation portion of the study for an additional 8 weeks. Patients in arm IV may begin oral American ginseng twice daily for 8 weeks on the optional continuation portion of the study.
Arm IV - PlaceboPlaceboPatients receive oral placebo twice daily for 8 weeks in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. After 8 weeks of treatment, patients in arms I-III may continue to receive American ginseng on the optional continuation portion of the study for an additional 8 weeks. Patients in arm IV may begin oral American ginseng twice daily for 8 weeks on the optional continuation portion of the study.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Fatigue by brief inventory at 4 and 8 weeks of treatmentat 4 and 8 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Sleep by Pittsburg Sleep Quality Inventory at 4 and 8 weeks of treatmentat 4 and 8 weeks
Quality of life by North Central Cancer Treatment Group Uniscale at 4 and 8 weeks of treatmentat 4 and 8 weeks
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