Epoetin Alfa in Treating Anemia in Patients Who Are Receiving Chemotherapy

July 12, 2016 updated by: Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology

A Phase III Randomized Double-Blind Study of Erythropoietin Versus Placebo in Anemic Patients With Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy

RATIONALE: Epoetin alfa may stimulate red blood cell production and treat anemia in patients with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy. It is not yet known whether epoetin alfa is more effective than a placebo in treating anemia in patients receiving chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Randomized double blinded phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of epoetin alfa with a placebo in treating anemia in cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine whether epoetin alfa treatment improves the quality of life in anemic patients who are undergoing chemotherapy for advanced malignancy. II. Determine whether epoetin alfa increases hemoglobin levels and decreases transfusion requirements in these patients. III. Validate or refute the use of an algorithm using pre- and posttreatment epoetin alfa, ferritin, and hemoglobin levels to predict 16 weeks response or no response to therapeutic doses of epoetin alfa as set forth by these patients. IV. Explore whether anemic patients receiving platinum-containing chemotherapy regimens experience less nephrotoxicity if they receive concurrent epoetin alfa compared to those who receive placebo.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double blind study. Patients are stratified by primary malignant disease (lung vs breast vs other), life expectancy (4-6 months vs greater than 6 months), planned concurrent radiotherapy (yes vs no), and degree of anemia (mild or at least 9 g/dL vs severe or less than 9 g/dL). Patients receiving chemotherapy are randomized to receive epoetin alfa subcutaneously once a week for a maximum of 16 weeks (arm I) or placebo subcutaneously once a week for a maximum of 16 weeks (arm II). Quality of life is assessed at randomization and monthly throughout study. Patients are followed every 6 months for 1 year.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

344

Phase

  • Phase 3

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

  • Canada
    • Saskatchewan
      • Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, S4T 7T1
        • Allan Blair Cancer Centre
  • United States
    • Arizona
      • Scottsdale, Arizona, United States, 85259-5404
        • CCOP - Scottsdale Oncology Program
    • District of Columbia
      • Washington, District of Columbia, United States, 20060
        • Howard University Cancer Center
    • Illinois
      • Peoria, Illinois, United States, 61602
        • CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association
      • Urbana, Illinois, United States, 61801
        • CCOP - Carle Cancer Center
    • Iowa
      • Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States, 52403-1206
        • CCOP - Cedar Rapids Oncology Project
      • Des Moines, Iowa, United States, 50309-1016
        • CCOP - Iowa Oncology Research Association
      • Sioux City, Iowa, United States, 51101-1733
        • Siouxland Hematology-Oncology
    • Kansas
      • Wichita, Kansas, United States, 67214-3882
        • CCOP - Wichita
    • Louisiana
      • New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, 70121
        • CCOP - Ochsner
    • Minnesota
      • Duluth, Minnesota, United States, 55805
        • CCOP - Duluth
      • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
        • Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
      • Saint Cloud, Minnesota, United States, 56303
        • CentraCare Clinic
    • Nebraska
      • Omaha, Nebraska, United States, 68131
        • CCOP - Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium
    • North Dakota
      • Bismarck, North Dakota, United States, 58501
        • Medcenter One Health System
      • Fargo, North Dakota, United States, 58122
        • CCOP - Merit Care Hospital
      • Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States, 58201
        • Altru Health Systems
    • Ohio
      • Toledo, Ohio, United States, 43623-3456
        • CCOP - Toledo Community Hospital Oncology Program
    • Pennsylvania
      • Danville, Pennsylvania, United States, 17822-2001
        • CCOP - Geisinger Clinic and Medical Center
    • South Dakota
      • Rapid City, South Dakota, United States, 57709
        • Rapid City Regional Hospital
      • Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, 57105-1080
        • CCOP - Sioux Community Cancer Consortium

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Anemic: Hemoglobin in males less than 11.5 g/dL; hemoglobin in females less than 10.0 g/dL No anemia secondary to B12, folic acid, or iron deficiency No anemia secondary to gastrointestinal bleed or hemolysis No anemia secondary to a primary or chemotherapy-induced myelodysplastic syndrome No anemia secondary to acute lymphocytic leukemia Histologically confirmed advanced malignancy Lung Breast Other Currently receiving myelosuppressive, cytotoxic chemotherapy for advanced cancer No patients receiving adjuvant therapy for cancer that has been surgically removed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: At least 4 months Hematopoietic: See Disease Characteristics Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified Cardiovascular: No uncontrolled hypertension (systolic at least 180, diastolic at least 100) Other: Normal or elevated ferritin No known hypersensitivity to epoetin alfa Must be able to reliably take oral medication Must be alert and mentally competent Not pregnant or nursing

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: At least 1 year since prior epoetin alfa At least 2 weeks since prior red blood cell transfusions No concurrent peripheral blood stem cell or bone marrow transplantation Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: Concurrent radiotherapy allowed Surgery: See Disease Characteristics

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: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: epoetin alfa
Patients receiving chemotherapy are randomized to receive epoetin alfa subcutaneously once a week for a maximum of 16 weeks Quality of life is assessed at randomization and monthly throughout study. Patients are followed every 6 months for 1 year.
Biological: epoetin alfa
Placebo Comparator: placebo
Patients receiving chemotherapy are randomized to receive placebo subcutaneously once a week for a maximum of 16 weeks. Quality of life is assessed at randomization and monthly throughout study. Patients are followed every 6 months for 1 year.
Other: placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Quality of life
Time Frame: Up to 12 months
Up to 12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Response rate
Time Frame: Up to 12 months
Up to 12 months
Predict response
Time Frame: Up to 12 months
Up to 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology

Collaborators

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Thomas E. Witzig, MD, Mayo Clinic

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

December 1, 1998

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2001

Study Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 1, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 19, 2004

First Posted (Estimate)

February 20, 2004

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

July 13, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 12, 2016

Last Verified

July 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • NCCTG-979253
  • CDR0000066673 (Registry Identifier: PDQ (Physician Data Query))
  • NCI-P98-0133

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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