Exercise to Prevent Aromatase Inhibitor Side Effects in Breast Cancer Patients (BCS2)

November 25, 2015 updated by: Susan B. Kesmodel, MD, Baltimore VA Medical Center

Pilot Trial of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Training for the Primary Prevention of Musculoskeletal Side Effects From Aromatase Inhibitors in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients

Hormone receptor-positive tumors are the most common breast cancers in postmenopausal women, and drug therapies, which block the production or effects of estrogen, are the mainstay of treatment in these patients. Due to their effectiveness in postmenopausal women, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are the standard of care for long-term estrogen suppression in these patients. Estrogen deficiency, however, results in multiple side effects. Some of the most common side effects in women taking AIs are joint and muscle aches, which promote physical deconditioning. Because of the long term use of AIs in postmenopausal breast cancer patients and the improvements in cancer-related outcomes that are observed with their use, identifying methods to reduce these side effects to maintain adherence to treatment is important. Exercise interventions in breast cancer patients also improve quality of life and reduce fatigue. Understanding the role of exercise in AI side effect prevention will allow us to translate these findings into therapy guidelines.

Study Overview

Status

Terminated

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women in the United States and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. In 2013, an estimated 230,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and approximately 40,000 with die.1 Women with breast cancer frequently experience significant functional and metabolic declines during and after treatment due to cancer-related fatigue (CRF), stress and depression.2,3 Cancer-related fatigue is associated with side effects from treatment, pain, functional disability, sleep disturbances, mood disturbances and co-morbid conditions.4 Patients with CRF have declines in physical activity and function, which significantly impacts quality of life (QOL).5 The mechanisms underlying functional declines and fatigue in breast cancer patients are likely multifactorial, but deconditioning, sarcopenia, increases in inflammatory cytokines, insulin resistance, and changes in muscle and fat metabolism seem to play important roles.4,6

Hormone receptor-positive tumors are the most common breast cancers in postmenopausal women, and endocrine therapies, which block the production or effects of estrogen, are the mainstay of treatment in these patients. Due to their superior efficacy in postmenopausal women, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are the standard of care for long-term estrogen suppression in these patients.7 Estrogen deprivation, however, results in multiple side effects which may worsen fatigue and the functional and metabolic declines associated with cancer treatment.8 Some of the most common side effects in women taking AIs are musculoskeletal symptoms, including arthralgias and myalgias, which promote deconditioning and sarcopenia and their associated side effects.9 Because of the prolonged use of AIs in postmenopausal breast cancer patients and the improvements in cancer-related outcomes that are observed with their use, great efforts are taken to reduce AI induced musculoskeletal symptoms (AIMSS) to maintain adherence to treatment. While multiple strategies are used to manage AIMSS, current therapies mainly focus on interventions in patients who develop symptoms (tertiary prevention) rather than primary prevention.9 Exercise interventions in breast cancer patients also improve QOL, decrease fatigue, and increase physical function and strength.10,11 Understanding the role of exercise in AI side effect prevention will allow us to translate these findings into therapy guidelines.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

5

Phase

  • Not Applicable

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
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21201
        • Baltimore VA Medical Center

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

40 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • At least mild fatigue in 2 of the 4 areas of the Piper Fatigue Scale (score ≥ 1-3)
  • Completion of standard surgery +/- chemotherapy for breast cancer (may undergo radiation therapy during study)
  • 25-OH vitamin D > 20 ng/ml
  • Histological evidence of stage I-III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer
  • Body Mass Index >/=18 and <50 kg/m2
  • 40-80 years of age
  • Non-smoking (non smoking for at least 12 months: cigarettes, cigars, pipes
  • Menopause over one year (absence of menses for 12 months or greater)
  • Sedentary (exercise no >60 min 2 times/week)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Taking oral steroids, warfarin, or other medications interfering with fat metabolism that may not be safely discontinued temporarily for specific produces (i.e. for 72 hours prior)
  • Symptomatic heart disease, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, or uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure over 180 mm HG)unless medically stabilized
  • Participant is, in the opinion of the investigator, unable to adhere to the study protocol due to medical or orthopedic conditions that limit ability to exercise or travel to the Baltimore VA for protocol procedures
  • Chronic pulmonary disease (on supplemental O2)
  • Abnormal renal function (BUN above 40 mg/dl, Cr above 1.3 mg/dl, CrCl<60mg/dl)
  • Unstable lymphedema
  • Evidence of cancer metastases or recurrence
  • Anemia HCT below 30 mg/dl, platelets below 80,000/cm3
  • Type 1 diabetes; insulin treatment for diabetes, poorly controlled diabetes, HgA1c>10%
  • Abnormal response to exercise test (ST segment depression greater than 2mm, chest pain, significant arrhythmias, extreme shortness of breath, cyanosis, exercising BP above 240/120 mm HG, or other contraindications to exercise) confirmed with further diagnostic evaluations.
  • Abnormal liver function
  • Untreated dyslipidemia with National Cholesterol ATPIII 10 year cardiac risk score greater than 10% (www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/atp3upd04.htm)
  • Metal implants or devices (i.e. pacemaker) if undergoing CT scan
  • History of seizures or taking anti-seizure or anti convulsion medication
  • Allergic to lidocaine
  • Mini-mental state examination below 24, dementia, or unstable clinical depression by exam

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Structured Exercise
Structured and supervised aerobic and resistance training 2 times per week
Other: Structured Exercise
Structured and supervised aerobic and resistance training 2 times per week
Active Comparator: Usual Care
Subjects will be counseled on American Cancer Society and American College of Sports Medicine physical activity and nutritional guidelines at the initiation of the study. Study participants will be contacted by a physician or nurse on weeks 2, 6, 10, and 14 to provide support and encouragement to patients.
Other: Usual Care
Subjects will be counseled on American Cancer Society and American College of Sports Medicine physical activity and nutritional guidelines at the initiation of the study. Study participants will be contacted by a physician or nurse on weeks 2, 6, 10, and 14 to provide support and encouragement to patients.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Fatigue
Time Frame: Baseline
Fatigue (questionnaires) and muscle performance (muscle strength, endurance, and function)
Baseline
Muscle performance (muscle strength, endurance, and function) Fatigue and Muscle Performance
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Fatigue (questionnaire) and muscle performance (muscle strength, endurance, and function)
16 weeks
Musculoskeletal symptoms (VASpain, HAQ-DI)
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Musculoskeletal symptoms (VASpain, HAQ-DI)
16 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Glucose Tolerance and Inflammation
Time Frame: Baseline
Baseline
Glucose Tolerance and Inflammation
Time Frame: 16 weeks
16 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Baltimore VA Medical Center

Collaborators

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Susan Kesmodel, MD, Baltimore VAMC

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

November 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2015

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 27, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 27, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

October 7, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

November 26, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 25, 2015

Last Verified

November 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HP-00056384
  • P30AG028747 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

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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