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Vaginal Testosterone Cream vs ESTRING for Vaginal Dryness or Decreased Libido in Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients (E-String)

Primary Purpose

Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological

Status
Completed
Phase
Phase 2
Locations
United States
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Testosterone Cream
Estring
Sponsored by
University of California, San Francisco
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional supportive care trial for Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological focused on measuring Vaginal Testosterone Cream, ESTRING

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - 80 Years (Adult, Older Adult)FemaleDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Histologically or cytologically confirmed Stage I-III breast cancer who are taking an aromatase inhibitor as adjuvant hormonal therapy. Patient must have started the aromatase inhibitor at least 60 days prior to enrolling.
  2. Postmenopausal estradiol levels at baseline as measured by standard laboratory analysis.

    • Patient may be rendered postmenopausal through the use of a GnRH agonist, but must have confirmed post-menopausal levels of serum estradiol on two lab tests at least one month apart.
    • If patient has been rendered post-menopausal by adjuvant chemotherapy but has had a period within the past 12 months, post-menopausal levels of serum estradiol must be documented on two lab tests at least 3 months apart.
  3. Age ≥18 and ≤80 years old.
  4. ECOG ≤1
  5. Adequate hematologic, hepatic, and renal function as defined by:

    • Hgb ≥9 g/dL
    • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)/absolute granulocyte count (AGC) ≥1500 cells/mm3
    • Platelet count ≥100,000/mm3
    • Serum creatinine ≤1.5 mg/dL
    • Total bilirubin ≤1.5 times the ULN; and aspartate aminotransferase ≤3 times the ULN
  6. Normal thyroid function tested within the past 6 months (Patients with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and on thyroid supplementation must have had thyroid function tests in the normal range within the past 3 months)
  7. Patient must have recovered from the side effects of previous chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy for early breast cancer.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. History of radiation to the vaginal area
  2. Concurrent treatment with any type of oral, injectable or topical form of estrogen or androgen therapy including natural supplements marketed as hormone replacement products
  3. Initiation of topical moisturizers (for example, Replens), or herbal or alternative medicines to manage the symptoms of vaginal dryness while on study. Patients who were previously using these products may continue them with the same usage pattern while on study.
  4. Use of vaginal hormonal products (rings, inserts, creams, gels) containing estrogens or androgens within the past 30 days.
  5. History of an abnormal pap smear within the last 12 months
  6. History of endometrial or ovarian cancer
  7. Any episode of vaginal bleeding in the past 6 months that has not been evaluated by a gynecological exam and/or pelvic ultrasound
  8. History of sexual dysfunction prior to diagnosis of breast cancer ( Sexual dysfunction will be defined as loss of libido or inability to achieve orgasm for which patient sought medical attention or which patient felt significantly interfered with quality of life.)
  9. Moderate or severe depression for which the patient is receiving ongoing psychological counseling and/or taking antidepressants, and for whom, in the investigators opinion may be interfering in the patients sexual function independent of the side effects of breast cancer and aromatase inhibitor use.
  10. Use of any investigational agent for breast cancer within 3 weeks of study entry.

Sites / Locations

  • UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Active Comparator

Active Comparator

Arm Label

Testosterone Cream

Estring

Arm Description

Testosterone Cream 1% micronized in velvachol - 0.5 gm of cream vaginally each night for two weeks, then 3 times a week for total of 12 weeks of treatment

Estring 2mg ring inserted vaginally once every 12 weeks

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Persistently Elevated Serum Estradiol Level Outside the Post-menopausal Range
Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (Quest Diagnostics). Persistently elevated serum estradiol level outside the post-menopausal range was defined as: Serum estradiol >10 pg/dl on two consecutive collections at least 4 weeks apart. 2. If baseline estradiol was >10 pg/dl, subsequent levels >10 pg/ml higher than baseline were considered a significant elevation outside the post-menopausal range.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Serum Estradiol (E2)
serial measurements of serum estradiol (E2) by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (Quest Diagnostics)
Matched E2 by Commercial and Research (RIA) Analyses
Serum estradiol assays sent to the UCSF clinical laboratory are sent out to Quest Diagnostics, which uses LC/MS for their ultra-sensitive estradiol assay. Samples were also sent to a specialized research lab in England which has developed an ultrasensitive assay using radioimmunoassay (RIA) after ether extraction (sensitivity limit of 3pmol/l) to quantify low levels of estradiol found in post-menopausal women
Total Testosterone Levels
By serum ultrasensitive total testosterone test (Quest Diagnostics)
Sexual Quality of Life
Cancer Rehabilitation Evaluation System (CARES) Sexual Dysfunction (SD) and Sexual Interest (SI) Subscales range from 0 to 4 and measure the severity of problems, with higher scores indicating more difficulty.
Sexual Satisfaction
Participants were asked to respond to a Sexual Satisfaction One Item Measure which asked "Overall, how satisfactory to you is your sexual relationship with your partner?" Response options range from 1 (Extremely unsatisfactory) to 6 (Extremely satisfactory).
Change in Vaginal Epithelium Scores
During a gynecologic exam, the vaginal epithelium was assessed by an examiner using the Vaginal Atrophy Scoring Scale to evaluate Rugae (lack of), Pallor (pinkness), Petechiae, Mucosal thinning, Dryness. Scores range from 0 (none) to 3 (severe); higher scores indicate less favorable outcomes.

Full Information

First Posted
June 11, 2008
Last Updated
May 27, 2014
Sponsor
University of California, San Francisco
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT00698035
Brief Title
Vaginal Testosterone Cream vs ESTRING for Vaginal Dryness or Decreased Libido in Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients
Acronym
E-String
Official Title
A Phase II Study of Vaginal Testosterone Cream vs. the ESTRING for Vaginal Dryness or Decreased Libido in Early Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Aromatase Inhibitors
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
May 2014
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
March 2007 (undefined)
Primary Completion Date
October 2012 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
December 2012 (Actual)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor
Name of the Sponsor
University of California, San Francisco

4. Oversight

Data Monitoring Committee
No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
The purpose of this clinical research study is to determine whether the ESTRING or a special preparation of a testosterone cream inserted vaginally are safe for use in breast cancer patients. This study will also evaluate if either of these treatments can improve symptoms of vaginal dryness or decreased sexual interest that are related to your treatment for breast cancer.
Detailed Description
There is a growing body of scientific literature to suggest that sexual functioning is one of the most distressing problems experienced by breast cancer survivors. Vaginal dryness, dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse), and decreased libido are common complaints among breast cancer patients. With increasing use of aromatase inhibitors which are associated with a higher rate of vaginal dryness than tamoxifen, these problems are becoming even more prominent. This study will evaluate the safety and tolerability of the ESTRING and 1% testosterone cream administered vaginally as treatments for vaginal dryness and/or decreased libido in women receiving an aromatase inhibitor for early stage breast cancer.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological
Keywords
Vaginal Testosterone Cream, ESTRING

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Study Phase
Phase 2
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
76 (Actual)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Testosterone Cream
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Testosterone Cream 1% micronized in velvachol - 0.5 gm of cream vaginally each night for two weeks, then 3 times a week for total of 12 weeks of treatment
Arm Title
Estring
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Estring 2mg ring inserted vaginally once every 12 weeks
Intervention Type
Drug
Intervention Name(s)
Testosterone Cream
Other Intervention Name(s)
intravaginal testosterone cream
Intervention Description
1% micronized in velvachol - 0.5 gm of cream vaginally each night for two weeks, then 3 times a week for total of 12 weeks of treatment
Intervention Type
Drug
Intervention Name(s)
Estring
Other Intervention Name(s)
ESTRING Estrodial Vaginal Ring
Intervention Description
2mg ring inserted vaginally once every 12 weeks
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Persistently Elevated Serum Estradiol Level Outside the Post-menopausal Range
Description
Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (Quest Diagnostics). Persistently elevated serum estradiol level outside the post-menopausal range was defined as: Serum estradiol >10 pg/dl on two consecutive collections at least 4 weeks apart. 2. If baseline estradiol was >10 pg/dl, subsequent levels >10 pg/ml higher than baseline were considered a significant elevation outside the post-menopausal range.
Time Frame
12 Weeks
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Serum Estradiol (E2)
Description
serial measurements of serum estradiol (E2) by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (Quest Diagnostics)
Time Frame
12 weeks
Title
Matched E2 by Commercial and Research (RIA) Analyses
Description
Serum estradiol assays sent to the UCSF clinical laboratory are sent out to Quest Diagnostics, which uses LC/MS for their ultra-sensitive estradiol assay. Samples were also sent to a specialized research lab in England which has developed an ultrasensitive assay using radioimmunoassay (RIA) after ether extraction (sensitivity limit of 3pmol/l) to quantify low levels of estradiol found in post-menopausal women
Time Frame
baseline, 4 weeks
Title
Total Testosterone Levels
Description
By serum ultrasensitive total testosterone test (Quest Diagnostics)
Time Frame
12 weeks
Title
Sexual Quality of Life
Description
Cancer Rehabilitation Evaluation System (CARES) Sexual Dysfunction (SD) and Sexual Interest (SI) Subscales range from 0 to 4 and measure the severity of problems, with higher scores indicating more difficulty.
Time Frame
Baseline, Week 4, Week 12
Title
Sexual Satisfaction
Description
Participants were asked to respond to a Sexual Satisfaction One Item Measure which asked "Overall, how satisfactory to you is your sexual relationship with your partner?" Response options range from 1 (Extremely unsatisfactory) to 6 (Extremely satisfactory).
Time Frame
Baseline, Week 4, Week 12
Title
Change in Vaginal Epithelium Scores
Description
During a gynecologic exam, the vaginal epithelium was assessed by an examiner using the Vaginal Atrophy Scoring Scale to evaluate Rugae (lack of), Pallor (pinkness), Petechiae, Mucosal thinning, Dryness. Scores range from 0 (none) to 3 (severe); higher scores indicate less favorable outcomes.
Time Frame
Baseline, 12 weeks

10. Eligibility

Sex
Female
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
80 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Histologically or cytologically confirmed Stage I-III breast cancer who are taking an aromatase inhibitor as adjuvant hormonal therapy. Patient must have started the aromatase inhibitor at least 60 days prior to enrolling. Postmenopausal estradiol levels at baseline as measured by standard laboratory analysis. Patient may be rendered postmenopausal through the use of a GnRH agonist, but must have confirmed post-menopausal levels of serum estradiol on two lab tests at least one month apart. If patient has been rendered post-menopausal by adjuvant chemotherapy but has had a period within the past 12 months, post-menopausal levels of serum estradiol must be documented on two lab tests at least 3 months apart. Age ≥18 and ≤80 years old. ECOG ≤1 Adequate hematologic, hepatic, and renal function as defined by: Hgb ≥9 g/dL Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)/absolute granulocyte count (AGC) ≥1500 cells/mm3 Platelet count ≥100,000/mm3 Serum creatinine ≤1.5 mg/dL Total bilirubin ≤1.5 times the ULN; and aspartate aminotransferase ≤3 times the ULN Normal thyroid function tested within the past 6 months (Patients with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and on thyroid supplementation must have had thyroid function tests in the normal range within the past 3 months) Patient must have recovered from the side effects of previous chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy for early breast cancer. Exclusion Criteria: History of radiation to the vaginal area Concurrent treatment with any type of oral, injectable or topical form of estrogen or androgen therapy including natural supplements marketed as hormone replacement products Initiation of topical moisturizers (for example, Replens), or herbal or alternative medicines to manage the symptoms of vaginal dryness while on study. Patients who were previously using these products may continue them with the same usage pattern while on study. Use of vaginal hormonal products (rings, inserts, creams, gels) containing estrogens or androgens within the past 30 days. History of an abnormal pap smear within the last 12 months History of endometrial or ovarian cancer Any episode of vaginal bleeding in the past 6 months that has not been evaluated by a gynecological exam and/or pelvic ultrasound History of sexual dysfunction prior to diagnosis of breast cancer ( Sexual dysfunction will be defined as loss of libido or inability to achieve orgasm for which patient sought medical attention or which patient felt significantly interfered with quality of life.) Moderate or severe depression for which the patient is receiving ongoing psychological counseling and/or taking antidepressants, and for whom, in the investigators opinion may be interfering in the patients sexual function independent of the side effects of breast cancer and aromatase inhibitor use. Use of any investigational agent for breast cancer within 3 weeks of study entry.
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Michelle Melisko, MD
Organizational Affiliation
University of California, San Francisco
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
City
San Francisco
State/Province
California
ZIP/Postal Code
94115
Country
United States

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Citations:
PubMed Identifier
27832260
Citation
Melisko ME, Goldman ME, Hwang J, De Luca A, Fang S, Esserman LJ, Chien AJ, Park JW, Rugo HS. Vaginal Testosterone Cream vs Estradiol Vaginal Ring for Vaginal Dryness or Decreased Libido in Women Receiving Aromatase Inhibitors for Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2017 Mar 1;3(3):313-319. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.3904. Erratum In: JAMA Oncol. 2020 Sep 1;6(9):1473.
Results Reference
derived

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Vaginal Testosterone Cream vs ESTRING for Vaginal Dryness or Decreased Libido in Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients

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