Prasterone (Dehydroepiandrosterone) in Treating Postmenopausal Cancer Survivors With Vaginal Symptoms
Breast Cancer, Gynecologic Cancer

About this trial
This is an interventional supportive care trial for Breast Cancer focused on measuring depression, anxiety disorder, cognitive/functional effects, sexual dysfunction, cancer survivor, breast cancer, cervical cancer, fallopian tube cancer, uterine sarcoma, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, ovarian epithelial cancer, ovarian germ cell tumor, ovarian sarcoma, ovarian stromal cancer, primary peritoneal cavity cancer, endometrial cancer
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age ≥ 18 years
Postmenopausal women with a history of breast or gynecologic cancer (currently no evidence of disease). Note: Postmenopausal status will be determined by the following criteria:
- 12 months without a period or bilateral oophorectomy or complete chemical ovarian suppression for the past 12 months with continued suppression planned throughout the course of the study
menopausal status will be determined by an FSH and an estradiol value in the postmenopausal range (generally FSH > 40IU/L and estradiol < 10 pg/ml, depending on laboratory) if:
- 9 months without a period or
- post hysterectomy with at least one ovary remaining and less than 55 years old. Note: if age 55 or older with these criteria, then menopausal status does not need to be determined by labs
- Significant vaginal complaints. Note: Defined as persistent vaginal dryness and/or pain with intercourse (dyspareunia) of sufficient severity to make a patient desire therapeutic intervention.
- Eligibility questionnaire response must be moderate or worse levels of severity on one of the two symptoms, either dryness or dyspareunia. The protocol contains more information.
- Vaginal symptoms must have been present ≥ 2 months prior to randomization.
- Life expectancy > 12 months.
- Ability to complete questionnaires by themselves or with assistance.
- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status (PS) 0 or 1.
- The patient must provide informed written consent.
- Willing to return to the enrolling institution for follow-up.
- Willing to provide blood samples for correlative research purposes.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Initiation or discontinuation of tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors ≤ 2 months prior to randomization or plans to initiate or discontinue any of these medications during the 12-week study.
- Current diagnosis of an active vaginal infection, if symptoms of vaginal infection, this must be ruled out (ie, foul discharge, fever).
- Concurrent chemotherapy (long term adjuvant herceptin, lapatanib, and/or bevacizumab is allowed.
- Planned use of any vaginal preparations during the study period (including any over the counter or herbal preparations). Note: Water-based lubricants (such as KY jelly) are allowed during sexual intercourse.
Use of any daily non-hormonal vaginal preparations ≤ 1 week prior to study entry.
Exception: Daily water-based lubricants for sexual intercourse. Note: Patients who stop agent may be enrolled after one week.
- Current (≤ 4 weeks prior to randomization), or planned during the study period, use of any estrogen product or any kind of hormonal vaginal product including bioidentical hormones, estriol or any androgen product.
- Use of pharmacologic soy or phytoestrogen preparations (Dietary intake of soy - ie milk is acceptable).
- On a placebo controlled trial for endocrine therapy.
- Prior or concurrent pelvic radiation therapy.
- Prior radical pelvic surgery, specifically vaginectomy or pelvic exenteration (TAH/BSO) is allowed).
Diagnosis of any of the following conditions within the past five years:
- Essential vulvodynia
- Vulvar vestibulitis
- Bartholin cyst/abscess
- History of Bartholin gland surgery
- Lichen sclerosis
- Lichen planus of the vulvovaginal region
- Desquamative vaginitis
History or current diagnosis of any of the following conditions:
- Vulvar or vaginal dysplasia
- Vaginal prolapse
- Women of childbearing potential, premenopausal women.
Sites / Locations
- Mayo Clinic Scottsdale
- Aurora Presbyterian Hospital
- Boulder Community Hospital
- Penrose Cancer Center at Penrose Hospital
- St. Anthony Central Hospital
- Porter Adventist Hospital
- Presbyterian - St. Luke's Medical Center
- St. Joseph Hospital
- Rose Medical Center
- CCOP - Colorado Cancer Research Program
- Swedish Medical Center
- Poudre Valley Hospital
- Front Range Cancer Specialists
- North Colorado Medical Center
- Littleton Adventist Hospital
- Sky Ridge Medical Center
- Hope Cancer Care Center at Longmont United Hospital
- McKee Medical Center
- Parker Adventist Hospital
- St. Mary - Corwin Regional Medical Center
- North Suburban Medical Center
- Exempla Lutheran Medical Center
- Saint Francis/Mount Sinai Regional Cancer Center at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center
- Herbert D. Kerman Regional Oncology Center - Daytona Beach
- University of Florida Shands Cancer Center
- Mayo Clinic - Jacksonville
- Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi
- Cancer Research Center of Hawaii
- OnCare Hawaii, Incorporated - Lusitana
- Queen's Cancer Institute at Queen's Medical Center
- Straub Clinic and Hospital, Incorporated
- Hawaii Medical Center - East
- OnCare Hawaii, Incorporated - Kuakini
- Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children
- Castle Medical Center
- Kauai Medical Clinic
- Maui Memorial Medical Center
- Pacific Cancer Institute - Maui
- Saint Alphonsus Cancer Care Center at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center
- Idaho Urologic Institute, PA
- Illinois CancerCare - Bloomington
- St. Joseph Medical Center
- Illinois CancerCare - Canton
- Illinois CancerCare - Carthage
- Eureka Community Hospital
- Illinois CancerCare - Eureka
- Galesburg Clinic, PC
- Illinois CancerCare - Havana
- Illinois CancerCare - Kewanee Clinic
- Illinois CancerCare - Macomb
- Trinity Cancer Center at Trinity Medical Center - 7th Street Campus
- Illinois CancerCare - Monmouth
- OSF Holy Family Medical Center
- BroMenn Regional Medical Center
- Community Cancer Center
- Illinois CancerCare - Community Cancer Center
- Community Hospital of Ottawa
- Oncology Hematology Associates of Central Illinois, PC - Ottawa
- Cancer Treatment Center at Pekin Hospital
- Illinois CancerCare - Pekin
- Proctor Hospital
- CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association
- Oncology Hematology Associates of Central Illinois, PC - Peoria
- Methodist Medical Center of Illinois
- OSF St. Francis Medical Center
- Illinois CancerCare - Peru
- Illinois Valley Community Hospital
- Illinois CancerCare - Princeton
- Illinois CancerCare - Spring Valley
- CCOP - Carle Cancer Center
- Elkhart Clinic, LLC
- Michiana Hematology-Oncology, PC - Elkhart
- Elkhart General Hospital
- St. Francis Hospital Cancer Care Services
- Howard Community Hospital
- Center for Cancer Therapy at LaPorte Hospital and Health Services
- Saint Anthony Memorial Health Centers
- Michiana Hematology-Oncology, PC - South Bend
- Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center
- Michiana Hematology Oncology PC - Plymouth
- Reid Hospital & Health Care Services
- CCOP - Northern Indiana CR Consortium
- Memorial Hospital of South Bend
- Michiana Hematology Oncology PC - La Porte
- Cedar Rapids Oncology Associates
- Mercy Regional Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Associates - West Des Moines
- Mercy Cancer Center - West Lakes
- CCOP - Iowa Oncology Research Association
- John Stoddard Cancer Center at Iowa Methodist Medical Center
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Associates at John Stoddard Cancer Center
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Associates at Mercy Cancer Center
- Mercy Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines
- John Stoddard Cancer Center at Iowa Lutheran Hospital
- Siouxland Hematology-Oncology Associates, LLP
- Mercy Medical Center - Sioux City
- St. Luke's Regional Medical Center
- Methodist West Hospital
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Chanute
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Dodge City
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - El Dorado
- Cancer Center of Kansas - Fort Scott
- Cancer Center of Kansas-Independence
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Kingman
- Lawrence Memorial Hospital
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Liberal
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - McPherson
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Newton
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Parsons
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Pratt
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Salina
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Wellington
- Associates in Womens Health, PA - North Review
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Medical Arts Tower
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Wichita
- CCOP - Wichita
- Via Christi Cancer Center at Via Christi Regional Medical Center
- Cancer Center of Kansas, PA - Winfield
- Hickman Cancer Center at Bixby Medical Center
- Saint Joseph Mercy Cancer Center
- CCOP - Michigan Cancer Research Consortium
- Oakwood Cancer Center at Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center
- Green Bay Oncology, Limited - Escanaba
- Genesys Hurley Cancer Institute
- Hurley Medical Center
- Genesys Regional Medical Center
- Van Elslander Cancer Center at St. John Hospital and Medical Center
- Dickinson County Healthcare System
- Foote Memorial Hospital
- Sparrow Regional Cancer Center
- St. Mary Mercy Hospital
- Community Cancer Center of Monroe
- Mercy Memorial Hospital - Monroe
- St. Joseph Mercy Oakland
- Mercy Regional Cancer Center at Mercy Hospital
- Seton Cancer Institute at Saint Mary's - Saginaw
- Lakeland Regional Cancer Care Center - St. Joseph
- Lakeside Cancer Specialists, PLLC
- St. John Macomb Hospital
- MeritCare Bemidji
- St. Joseph's Medical Center
- Fairview Ridges Hospital
- Mercy and Unity Cancer Center at Mercy Hospital
- Essentia Health - Duluth Clinic
- CCOP - Duluth
- Miller - Dwan Medical Center
- Fairview Southdale Hospital
- Mercy and Unity Cancer Center at Unity Hospital
- Hutchinson Area Health Care
- Immanuel St. Joseph's
- HealthEast Cancer Care at St. John's Hospital
- Minnesota Oncology - Maplewood
- Virginia Piper Cancer Institute at Abbott - Northwestern Hospital
- Hennepin County Medical Center - Minneapolis
- New Ulm Medical Center
- Humphrey Cancer Center at North Memorial Outpatient Center
- Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
- CentraCare Clinic - River Campus
- Coborn Cancer Center
- CCOP - Metro-Minnesota
- Park Nicollet Cancer Center
- Regions Hospital Cancer Care Center
- United Hospital
- St. Francis Cancer Center at St. Francis Medical Center
- Lakeview Hospital
- Ridgeview Medical Center
- Willmar Cancer Center at Rice Memorial Hospital
- Minnesota Oncology - Woodbury
- Mercy Clinic Cancer and Hematology - Rolla
- CCOP - Cancer Research for the Ozarks
- St. John's Regional Health Center
- Hulston Cancer Center at Cox Medical Center South
- CCOP - Montana Cancer Consortium
- St. Vincent Healthcare Cancer Care Services
- Hematology-Oncology Centers of the Northern Rockies - Billings
- Billings Clinic - Downtown
- Bozeman Deaconess Cancer Center
- St. James Healthcare Cancer Care
- Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute
- St. Peter's Hospital
- Kalispell Regional Medical Center
- Montana Cancer Specialists at Montana Cancer Center
- Montana Cancer Center at St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center
- Cancer Resource Center - Lincoln
- CCOP - Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium
- Immanuel Medical Center
- Alegant Health Cancer Center at Bergan Mercy Medical Center
- Lakeside Hospital
- Creighton University Medical Center
- Lovelace Medical Center - Downtown
- Presbyterian Cancer Treatment Center at Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital
- University of New Mexico Cancer Center
- University of New Mexico Cancer Center - South
- Rutherford Hospital
- MeritCare Broadway
- Dakota Cancer Institute at Dakota Clinic - South University
- CCOP - MeritCare Hospital
- Altru Cancer Center at Altru Hospital
- Wood County Oncology Center
- Adena Regional Medical Center
- Riverside Methodist Hospital Cancer Care
- CCOP - Columbus
- Grant Medical Center Cancer Care
- Zangmeister Center
- Mount Carmel Health - West Hospital
- Doctors Hospital at Ohio Health
- Grandview Hospital
- Good Samaritan Hospital
- David L. Rike Cancer Center at Miami Valley Hospital
- Samaritan North Cancer Care Center
- CCOP - Dayton
- Grady Memorial Hospital
- Community Cancer Center
- Hematology Oncology Center
- Blanchard Valley Medical Associates
- Middletown Regional Hospital
- Wayne Hospital
- Charles F. Kettering Memorial Hospital
- Fairfield Medical Center
- Lima Memorial Hospital
- Strecker Cancer Center at Marietta Memorial Hospital
- Northwest Ohio Oncology Center
- Knox Community Hospital
- Licking Memorial Cancer Care Program at Licking Memorial Hospital
- St. Charles Mercy Hospital
- Toledo Clinic - Oregon
- Southern Ohio Medical Center Cancer Center
- Community Hospital of Springfield and Clark County
- Flower Hospital Cancer Center
- Mercy Hospital of Tiffin
- Toledo Hospital
- St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center
- Medical University of Ohio Cancer Center
- CCOP - Toledo Community Hospital
- St. Anne Mercy Hospital
- Toledo Clinic, Incorporated - Main Clinic
- UVMC Cancer Care Center at Upper Valley Medical Center
- Fulton County Health Center
- Mount Carmel St. Ann's Cancer Center
- United States Air Force Medical Center - Wright-Patterson
- Ruth G. McMillan Cancer Center at Greene Memorial Hospital
- Genesis - Good Samaritan Hospital
- Clackamas Radiation Oncology Center
- Providence Milwaukie Hospital
- Providence Newberg Medical Center
- Willamette Falls Hospital
- Providence Cancer Center at Providence Portland Medical Center
- CCOP - Columbia River Oncology Program
- Providence St. Vincent Medical Center
- Morgan Cancer Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest
- Lehigh Valley Hospital - Muhlenberg
- Geisinger Cancer Institute at Geisinger Health
- Geisinger Hazleton Cancer Center
- Geisinger Medical Group - Scenery Park
- Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer Center at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
- AnMed Cancer Center
- Bon Secours St. Francis Health System
- Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates, PA
- Carolina Blood and Cancer Care
- CCOP - Upstate Carolina
- Gibbs Regional Cancer Center at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center
- Avera Cancer Institute
- Sanford Cancer Center at Sanford USD Medical Center
- Fredericksburg Oncology, Incorporated
- Southwest Washington Medical Center Cancer Center
- Northwest Cancer Specialists at Vancouver Cancer Center
- Green Bay Oncology, Limited at St. Vincent Hospital Regional Cancer Center
- Green Bay Oncology, Limited at St. Mary's Hospital
- St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center - Green Bay
- St. Vincent Hospital Regional Cancer Center
- Franciscan Skemp Healthcare - La Crosse Campus
- Holy Family Memorial Medical Center Cancer Care Center
- Bay Area Cancer Care Center at Bay Area Medical Center
- Green Bay Oncology, Limited - Oconto Falls
- St. Nicholas Hospital
- Green Bay Oncology, Limited - Sturgeon Bay
- Rocky Mountain Oncology
- Welch Cancer Center at Sheridan Memorial Hospital
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Experimental
Experimental
Placebo Comparator
Arm I low dose DHEA
Arm II high dose DHEA
Arm III placebo
Participants apply a low dose (3.25 mg) of vaginal prasterone (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA]) gel once daily (QD), at bed time, for 12 weeks. Treatment continues until unacceptable adverse events or patient refusal to continue participation on the study.
Participants apply a high dose (6.5 mg) of vaginal DHEA gel QD, at bed time, for 12 weeks. Treatment continues until unacceptable adverse events or patient refusal to continue participation on the study.
Participants apply a vaginal placebo gel QD, at bed time, for 12 weeks. There is an Optional Continuation Phase (for placebo arm only): Participants apply a high dose of vaginal DHEA gel QD, at bed time, for 12 weeks. Treatment continues until unacceptable adverse events or patient refusal to continue participation on the study.