A "Window Trial" on Curcumin for Invasive Breast Cancer Primary Tumors

A "Window Trial" on Curcumin, the Active Compound in Turmeric, for Invasive Breast Cancer Primary Tumors

The purpose of this study is to determine whether oral administration of curcumin causes biological changes in primary tumors of breast cancer patients.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Breast Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Curcumin

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to determine whether oral administration of Curcuma longa extract causes biological changes related to apoptosis (DNA fragmentation) and cell proliferation (Ki67) in primary tumors of breast cancer patients.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 22
• Phase: Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • South Carolina
    • Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29425
      • Medical University of South Carolina

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer (stages I, II, or III) with primary tumor(s) ≥ 1.0 cm on mammogram, ultrasound, MRI, or physical exam
2. 18 years of age or older
3. Subject must understand risks and benefits of the protocol and be able to give informed consent

4. Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must agree to use an approved form of birth control and to have a negative pregnancy test result within 14 days of registration. WOCBP is defined as any female who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy) or who is not postmenopausal. Menopause is defined clinically as 12 consecutive months of amenorrhea in a woman over 45 in the absence of other biological or physiological causes

   Approved forms of birth control:

   • combined (estrogen and progestogen containing) hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, intra-vaginal, or transdermal)
   • progestogen only hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, injectable, or implantable)
   • intrauterine device, intrauterine hormone-releasing system
   • bilateral tubal occlusion/ligation
   • vasectomized partner
   • barrier contraception
   • sexual abstinence
5. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1
6. Adequate hematologic and end organ function
7. Ability and capacity to comply with the study and follow-up procedures
8. Subjects must be scheduled for surgery at MUSC no less than 5 days from the planned start of day 1 and no more than 56 days from the planned start of day 1
9. At least 6 sections of unstained slides should be obtained. If sufficient slides or tissue is unavailable, the patient will be excluded from the trial

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy or neoadjuvant endocrine therapy
2. Subjects with end-stage kidney disease and/or grade II liver dysfunction
3. Subjects who are pregnant or are lactating.
4. Subjects with bile duct obstruction, gallstones, predisposition to kidney stones(39), or gastrointestinal disorders such as stomach ulcers and hyperacidity disorders(40)
5. Subjects taking anti-coagulants or platelet inhibitors
6. Subjects taking drugs metabolized by CYP3A4, CYP1A2, and CYP2A6 enzymes
7. Subjects taking drugs that interact with P-glycoprotein (P-gp)
8. Subjects taking any of the medications listed under Other Herb-Drug interactions according to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in section 5.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Curcumin; Curcumin will be given at 500mg by mouth twice a day, immediately after each meal. Curcumin will be given from the time surgical resection is scheduled until the night before surgical resection.	Drug: Curcumin; Curcumin is an extract from turmeric

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in tumor proliferation rate	Change in tumor proliferation rate will be based on apoptosis (DNA fragmentation) and cell proliferation (Ki67) assays in biopsies pre and post treatment with curcumin	Up to 56 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of adverse events reported	Safety data will be tabulated by type and grade of adverse event and will use CTCAE v. 4.0	up to 84 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Nancy DeMore, MD, FACS, Medical University of South Carolina

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 29, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 24, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): March 24, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 6, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 6, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): June 10, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 29, 2025
• Last Verified: January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Skin Diseases; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Antineoplastic Agents; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Enzyme Inhibitors; Antirheumatic Agents; Sensory System Agents; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; Analgesics; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Curcumin
• Other Study ID Numbers: 103089

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No