Breast Cancer, Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy, and Sexual Functioning: The Effects of Vaginal Testosterone Therapy

December 18, 2013 updated by: Melissa Dahir, Creighton University

Breast Cancer, Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy, and Sexual Functioning: A Pilot Study on the Effects of Vaginal Testosterone Therapy

It is well documented that women who have breast cancer may experience a decrease in quality of life and sexual functioning due to side effects from adjuvant endocrine therapy, typically aromatase inhibitors (AIs). Women taking AIs are more likely to report unpleasant urogenital and vaginal symptoms due to the physiologic suppression of estradiol. This treatment can impair sexual functioning and cause a decreased sexual health quality of life.

At the present time, there are no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medications for the vulvovaginal or sexual side effects related to the use of AIs. The lack of treatment options is concerning because the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer continues to increase; their longevity, also, continues to increase with the use of newer adjuvant chemotherapies. Local health care practitioners have observed that the benefits of vaginal testosterone for sexual health in breast cancer survivors are similar to the benefits of vaginal estrogen in women without breast cancer.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of using a daily compounded vaginal testosterone cream for 4 weeks (28 days) on breast cancer survivor's reported experience of vulvovaginal symptoms accompanying the use of AIs and their associated quality of life and sexual functioning.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
12

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Nebraska
      • Omaha, Nebraska, United States, 68130
        • Nebraska Cancer Specialists/Midwest Cancer Center - Legacy

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women with breast cancer
  • Currently taking an aromatase inhibitor (AI)
  • Age > 50 years of age
  • Postmenopausal, or two years since last menstrual cycle
  • Urogenital/vulvovaginal symptoms such as vaginal dryness and pain with intercourse
  • Changes in sexual health quality of life/sexual functioning since starting AI therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

  • The use of other treatments for breast cancer such as chemotherapy or radiation within the past 12 months
  • A known sensitivity to medications containing testosterone
  • The use of exogenous hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the past three months, including systemic and local estrogen or testosterone therapy

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Vaginal Testosterone
Testosterone USP micronized powder supplied by Medisca Pharmacy will be compounded by Precision Compounding pharmacy as testosterone 0.3% per 0.5 milliliters (mL) in pharmabase cream. The compounded testosterone vaginal cream will be supplied in pre-filled syringes and each 0.5 mL dose will deliver 300 mcg of testosterone daily. The cream will be applied to the vaginal opening once daily for four weeks (28 days).
Drug: Testosterone

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Total Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) Score
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 weeks
The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire was administered to participants prior to starting vaginal testosterone therapy and the survey was repeated after using the study drug for 4 weeks. The participants served as their own controls. The FSFI assesses six domains of sexual functioning (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain) over the past 4 weeks. The sum of all domain scores equals the total FSFI score. The total FSFI score ranges from 2-36 and a total FSFI score < 26.5 suggests female sexual dysfunction.
Baseline, 4 weeks
FSFI Desire Domain
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 weeks
The desire score is calculated by adding the individual scores from the desire domain (question #1 and #2) and multiplying the sum by the domain factor of 0.6. The domain score for desire ranges from 1.2 (minimum) to 6 (maximum) and a higher value represents a better outcome.
Baseline, 4 weeks
FSFI Arousal Domain
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 weeks
The arousal score is calculated by adding the individual scores from the arousal domain (question #3, #4, #5, #6) and multiplying the sum by the domain factor of 0.3. The arousal domain score ranges from 0 (minimum) to 6 (maximum)and a higher value represents a better outcome.
Baseline, 4 weeks
FSFI Lubrication Domain
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 weeks
The lubrication score is calculated by adding the individual scores from the lubrication domain (question #7, #8, #9, #10) and multiplying the sum by the domain factor of 0.3. The domain score for lubrication ranges from 0 (minimum) to 6 (maximum) and a higher value represents a better outcome.
Baseline, 4 weeks
FSFI Orgasm Domain
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 weeks
The orgasm score is calculated by adding the individual scores from the orgasm domain (question #11, #12, #13) and multiplying the sum by the domain factor of 0.4. The domain score for orgasm ranges from 0 (minimum) to 6 (maximum) and a higher value represents a better outcome.
Baseline, 4 weeks
FSFI Satisfaction Domain
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 weeks
The satisfaction score is calculated by adding the individual scores from the satisfaction domain (question #14, #15, #16) and multiplying the sum by the domain factor of 0.4. The satisfaction domain score ranges from 0.8 (minimum) to 6 (maximum) and a higher value represents a better outcome.
Baseline, 4 weeks
FSFI Pain Domain
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 weeks
The score for pain is calculated by adding the individual scores from the pain domain (question #17, #18, #19) and multiplying the sum by the domain factor of 0.4. The domain score for pain ranges from 0 (minimum) to 6 (maximum) and a higher value represents a better outcome.
Baseline, 4 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Number of Participants Who Continued Vaginal Testosterone Upon Completion of the Study
Time Frame: After 4 weeks
After 4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Creighton University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Melissa A Dahir, DNP, Creighton University
  • Study Chair: Dianne Travers-Gustafson, PhD, Creighton University
  • Study Director: Robert Langdon, MD, Nebraska Cancer Specialists

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 26, 2012

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 27, 2012

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 2, 2012

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 24, 2014

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 18, 2013

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • MelissaDahir

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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