Visualization of the Effect of Acupuncture on Brain Serotonin in Breast Cancer Survivors
Primary Purpose
Breast Cancer
Status
Completed
Phase
Phase 1
Locations
United States
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
Acupuncture Therapy
Questionnaire Administration
Laboratory Biomarker Analysis
Sponsored by

About this trial
This is an interventional diagnostic trial for Breast Cancer
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- History of Stage I, II, or III breast cancer for at least 12 months
- Have been seen by an oncologist within the previous 6-month period and determined to be free of disease by clinical examination and history
- Have been receiving endocrine therapy (tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors for at least four weeks)
- Experienced hot flashes with a hot flash composite score of 5 or greater per day
- Hot flashes have been present for at least a month before study entry
Exclusion Criteria:
- Currently on chemotherapy or radiation therapy as adjuvant treatment
- Started with hormonal therapies such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors within the last 4 weeks; or plan to change or terminate hormonal therapies in the next 14 weeks
- Any history of use of psychotropic medication such as SSRI use for the past 6 months
- Any past use of centrally acting medications such as clonidine for the past 6 months
- Any past diagnosis of a Major Depressive Episode within the last 6 months
- Any allergy to iodine or shell-fish or radio-nuclear materials
- Current use of estrogen and/or progestin
- Pregnancy
- Breast feeding
- Women of child-bearing potential NOT willing to use a medically acceptable form of contraception
- Current use of any anti-convulsant such as gabapentin
- History of cerebral infarction (including lacunar infarct with symptoms >= 24 hours duration)
- History of Binswanger's disease (or a history of hypertensive encephalopathy)
- History of intracranial hemorrhage
- History of head trauma with loss of consciousness
- History of encephalitis
- History of extended exposure to known neurotoxin (e.g., cyanide, carbon monoxide)
- Uncontrolled metabolic disorder (e.g., thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus)
- History of normal pressure hydrocephalus
- History of Parkinson's or other basal ganglia disease
- History of substance abuse in the previous 6 months
Sites / Locations
- Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm Type
Other
Arm Label
I
Arm Description
Patients undergo acupuncture twice weekly for 2 weeks and then once weekly for 6 weeks. Patients undergo single photon emission computed tomography imaging with iodine 123-I ADAM before and after completion of acupuncture.
Outcomes
Primary Outcome Measures
SERT uptake ratios
Hot flash composite score (HFCS)
Secondary Outcome Measures
Hot flash related daily interference scale (HFRDIS)
Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI)
Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)
HADS
Global assessment scale
Hot flash frequency and severity
Acupuncture expectancy scale
Credibility rating of acupuncture
Full Information
NCT ID
NCT01018108
First Posted
November 19, 2009
Last Updated
January 25, 2016
Sponsor
Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine
1. Study Identification
Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT01018108
Brief Title
Visualization of the Effect of Acupuncture on Brain Serotonin in Breast Cancer Survivors
Official Title
Effect of Acupuncture on Brain Serotonin Among Breast Cancer Survivors
Study Type
Interventional
2. Study Status
Record Verification Date
January 2016
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
March 2009 (undefined)
Primary Completion Date
December 2010 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
December 2010 (Actual)
3. Sponsor/Collaborators
Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor
Name of the Sponsor
Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine
4. Oversight
Data Monitoring Committee
No
5. Study Description
Brief Summary
RATIONALE: New imaging procedures, such as single photon emission computed tomography, may help in learning how acupuncture affects serotonin levels in the brain of breast cancer survivors. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the best way to visualize the effect of acupuncture on brain serotonin in breast cancer survivors.
Detailed Description
Detailed Description
OBJECTIVES:
I. To determine the feasibility of using [123-I] ADAM Serotonin transporter (SERT) binding as a putative biomarker to visualize the mechanism of effects of acupuncture for hot flashes involving serotonin.
OUTLINE: Patients undergo acupuncture twice weekly for 2 weeks and then once weekly for 6 weeks. Patients undergo single photon emission computed tomography imaging with iodine 123-I ADAM before and after completion of acupuncture.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed for 4 weeks.
6. Conditions and Keywords
Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Breast Cancer
7. Study Design
Primary Purpose
Diagnostic
Study Phase
Phase 1
Interventional Study Model
Single Group Assignment
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
N/A
Enrollment
7 (Anticipated)
8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions
Arm Title
I
Arm Type
Other
Arm Description
Patients undergo acupuncture twice weekly for 2 weeks and then once weekly for 6 weeks. Patients undergo single photon emission computed tomography imaging with iodine 123-I ADAM before and after completion of acupuncture.
Intervention Type
Procedure
Intervention Name(s)
Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
Other Intervention Name(s)
SPECT imaging, tomography, emission computed, single photon
Intervention Description
Undergo single photon emission computed tomographt imaging
Intervention Type
Procedure
Intervention Name(s)
Acupuncture Therapy
Other Intervention Name(s)
Acupuncture
Intervention Description
Undergo acupuncture
Intervention Type
Other
Intervention Name(s)
Questionnaire Administration
Intervention Description
Ancillary study
Intervention Type
Other
Intervention Name(s)
Laboratory Biomarker Analysis
Intervention Description
Correlative Study
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
SERT uptake ratios
Title
Hot flash composite score (HFCS)
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Hot flash related daily interference scale (HFRDIS)
Title
Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI)
Title
Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)
Title
HADS
Title
Global assessment scale
Title
Hot flash frequency and severity
Title
Acupuncture expectancy scale
Title
Credibility rating of acupuncture
10. Eligibility
Sex
Female
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
History of Stage I, II, or III breast cancer for at least 12 months
Have been seen by an oncologist within the previous 6-month period and determined to be free of disease by clinical examination and history
Have been receiving endocrine therapy (tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors for at least four weeks)
Experienced hot flashes with a hot flash composite score of 5 or greater per day
Hot flashes have been present for at least a month before study entry
Exclusion Criteria:
Currently on chemotherapy or radiation therapy as adjuvant treatment
Started with hormonal therapies such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors within the last 4 weeks; or plan to change or terminate hormonal therapies in the next 14 weeks
Any history of use of psychotropic medication such as SSRI use for the past 6 months
Any past use of centrally acting medications such as clonidine for the past 6 months
Any past diagnosis of a Major Depressive Episode within the last 6 months
Any allergy to iodine or shell-fish or radio-nuclear materials
Current use of estrogen and/or progestin
Pregnancy
Breast feeding
Women of child-bearing potential NOT willing to use a medically acceptable form of contraception
Current use of any anti-convulsant such as gabapentin
History of cerebral infarction (including lacunar infarct with symptoms >= 24 hours duration)
History of Binswanger's disease (or a history of hypertensive encephalopathy)
History of intracranial hemorrhage
History of head trauma with loss of consciousness
History of encephalitis
History of extended exposure to known neurotoxin (e.g., cyanide, carbon monoxide)
Uncontrolled metabolic disorder (e.g., thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus)
History of normal pressure hydrocephalus
History of Parkinson's or other basal ganglia disease
History of substance abuse in the previous 6 months
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Jun Mao, MD
Organizational Affiliation
Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
City
Philadelphia
State/Province
Pennsylvania
ZIP/Postal Code
19104
Country
United States
12. IPD Sharing Statement
Learn more about this trial
Visualization of the Effect of Acupuncture on Brain Serotonin in Breast Cancer Survivors
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