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Guaraná for Radiation Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients
This study has been completed.
Sponsored by: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC
Information provided by: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00615316
  Purpose

We hypothesize that Guaraná, a native plant from the Amazon, might improve radiation-induced fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment. In order to assess this, we randomized patients to either guaraná extract or to placebo, switching the assigned treatment mid-term through the radiation.


Condition Intervention Phase
Fatigue
Drug: Guaraná
Drug: Placebo
Phase II

Genetics Home Reference related topics: breast cancer
MedlinePlus related topics: Breast Cancer Cancer
Drug Information available for: Paullinia
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator), Placebo Control, Crossover Assignment, Efficacy Study
Official Title: Guaraná ("Paullinia Cupana") for Radiation Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients: Results Of A Pilot Double Blind Randomized Study

Further study details as provided by Faculdade de Medicina do ABC:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Fatigue [ Time Frame: 5 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • Depression [ Time Frame: 5 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

Enrollment: 36
Study Start Date: December 2006
Study Completion Date: June 2007
Primary Completion Date: June 2007 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
A: Experimental Drug: Guaraná
Guaraná extract 75mg/day
B: Placebo Comparator Drug: Placebo
Placebo 1tab/d

Detailed Description:

The aim of this study is evaluate the favourable effects of Guaraná in memory and cognition in humans After approval by our Institutional Review Board, we included consenting patients with a histological diagnosis of early stage Breast Cancer for whom adjuvant radiation therapy was indicated. We excluded patients with a previous history of Radiation Therapy, anemia or clinical depression. We also excluded patients who were unable to grant informed consent or those who had medical contraindindications for the use of Guaraná (because of its psycho stimulant effect) such as uncontrolled hypertension, previous history of cardiac arrhythmia and insomnia.

The radiation therapy for patients who underwent mastectomy consisted of 28 fractions of 180cGy.

This study had a double-blind randomized design with crossover between experimental arms. After getting informed consent, we randomized patients at the beginning of radiation treatments (Phase I) to either 75 mg of Guaraná extract daily (Group A) or to Placebo (Group B). Randomization was centralized by the pharmacist. Halfway through the radiation treatments (Phase II), we switched patients from placebo to guaraná and vice versa. The protocol ended at the last session of radiation treatments (Phase III). In each of these three phases a new assessment of fatigue and depressive symptoms was undertaken, ie: immediately before the first radiation treatment (phase I); at switching (phase II) and right before the start of the last radiation treatment (phase III). At these three assessment points, patients had to complete the Chalder Fatigue Scale,4 the MD Anderson Brief Fatigue Inventory (available at http://www.mdanderson.org/topics/fatigue/) available in Portuguese, and the Beck Inventory Depression Scale II also validated in Portuguese.

We conducted the statistical analysis of the data with the Numerical Control Software Solution (www.ncss.com). We employed the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) test to compare tests scores within the same patient group and the ANOVA test to compare test's scores between the two groups (at similar phases of the study).

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years and older
Genders Eligible for Study:   Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • histological diagnosis of early stage Breast Cancer
  • 18 years old or older

Exclusion Criteria:

  • prior breast radiation
  • anemia
  • clinical depression
  • unable to sign informed consent
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00615316

Locations
Brazil, São Paulo
Faculdade de Medicina do ABC
Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil, 09060-650
Sponsors and Collaborators
Faculdade de Medicina do ABC
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Auro Del Giglio, MD, PhD ABC Foundation School of Medicine
  More Information

Responsible Party: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC ( Auro Del Giglio, MD, Chairman of Oncology and Hematology )
Study ID Numbers: 365/2006
Study First Received: February 4, 2008
Last Updated: February 13, 2008
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00615316  
Health Authority: Brazil: National Committee of Ethics in Research

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Signs and Symptoms
Fatigue
Skin Diseases
Breast Neoplasms
Breast Diseases

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Neoplasms
Neoplasms by Site

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 14, 2009