Breast CancerPhase 3NCT00156806
Investigating the Therapeutic Effectiveness of Aloe Barbadensis in Reducing Cutaneous Side-Effects of Radiation Treatment for Breast Cancer.
A Phase 3 study of Breast Cancer, run by AHS Cancer Control Alberta at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
Breast cancer treatment often involved radiation to the breast. A side-effect of this treatment is skin redness, itching and burning. Some patients have quite severe reactions. Our current treatment for this is to avoid any soaps or other skin irritants and to use a moisturizing cream once all radiation is finished. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Breast Cancer
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- How many people
- 231 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- Mar 2002to May 2006
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- adult age women receiving 4500cGy or 5000cGy for non-metastatic breast cancer.
- tumor bed boost allowed.
Who cannot join
- patients with uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled eating disorder, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, active lupus or scleroderma, a known allergy to pure aloe gel, a pre-study contact dermatitis to study creams.
- consenting procedures not completed prior to 10cGy of radiation therapy.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Breast cancer treatment often involved radiation to the breast. A side-effect of this treatment is skin redness, itching and burning. Some patients have quite severe reactions. Our current treatment for this is to avoid any soaps or other skin irritants and to use a moisturizing cream once all radiation is finished. Aloe vera is believed by many people to be useful for treatment of skin burns but this has never been proven in a randomized study. The aim of this study is to compare aloe vera gel versus plan gel versus the standard treatment to determine if there is any benefit. If there was a benefit of gel treatment over standard it could make radiation treatments more tolerable for cancer patients.
Read the detailed description
BackgroundRadiation therapy is an important component of treatment for breast cancer, especially in the setting of breast conservation. Even though cancer patients who are receiving radiation treatments follow established hygiene and skin-care protocols they still experience differing degrees of cutaneous skin reactions and associated symptoms of dryness, itchiness, burning sensations, and pain.1-7 For some patients the side-effects associated with radiation therapy can become so severe serious consideration is given to discontinuing treatments. The treatments currently used for reducing cutaneous reactions and symptoms are very limited and often ineffective.5-7 Anti-inflammatories and steroid-based topical pharmaceutical agents are used sparingly due in part to research findings8 and potential harmful side-effects.7 This has left physicians and patients using a trial and error approach in seeking an alternative treatment that will help these patients cope with (and sometimes endure) the cutaneous radiation side-effects. Ongoing clinical experience and discussions with present and former radiation patients reveals that skin irritation, breakdown, pain and associated suffering are common side-effects that patients wish they did not have to experience. The lack of effective, efficient, non-pharmacological treatments for reducing symptoms associated with cutaneous skin reactions to radiation cancer therapy is problematic. Study Objectives the overall aim of the study is to determine if biologically active A. barbadensis is a therapeutic agent for reduction of cutaneous side effects women experience as a result of undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer.The primary aim is to determine if there is a significant reduction or increase of cutaneous skin reactions using A. barbadensis on the irradiated skin of the breast or chest wall in comparison to following the standard CCI non-pharmacological treatment protocol and in comparison to using the moist inert vehicle gel on the irradiated site.The secondary aim is to explore if there is a reduction or increase in subjective symptoms at the irradiated site with the use of A. barbadensis in comparison to following the standard CCI 'best care' non-pharmacological treatment protocol and in comparison to using the moist inert vehicle gel on the irradiated site.MethodThis study is a single blind randomized controlled trial using a three Arm design. Analysis stratification is being conducted according to radiation technique, breast size, smoker vs. non-smoker, nutrition, protocol adherence, and prior chemotherapy. The control arm will treat the skin reaction as per standard CCI breast radiation protocol
- Conditions
- Breast Cancer
- Being tested
- Aloe barbadensis topical application in a moisturizing cream vehicle.
- Keywords
- aloe, radiation dermatitis, radiation therapy
- Medical subject headings
- Breast Neoplasms, Radiodermatitis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Aloe barbadensis topical application in a moisturizing cream vehicle.Procedure or surgery
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Skin reaction severity.
Secondary outcomes (1)
Symptom severity.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Sep 2005 (estimated)
- Study startMar 2002
- Primary completionMay 2005
- Study completionMay 2006
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Breast CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind
- Enrolment
- 231 participants
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- AHS Cancer Control Alberta
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Investigators
- Donna L. Hoopfer, PhD, Principal investigator, AHS Cancer Control Alberta
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00156806
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PS-08-0006
- Status last verified
- Jan 2017
- First submitted
- 7 Sep 2005
- Last updated
- 24 Jan 2017
- Results posted
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Jan 2017. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigating the Therapeutic Effectiveness of Aloe Barbadensis in Reducing Cutaneous Side-Effects of Radiation Treatment for Breast Cancer.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00156806
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PS-08-0006
- Conditions
- Breast Cancer
- Keywords
- aloe, radiation dermatitis, radiation therapy
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 231 participants
- Lead sponsor
- AHS Cancer Control AlbertaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Mar 2002
- Primary completion
- May 2005 (actual)
- Study completion
- May 2006 (actual)
- First posted
- 12 Sep 2005 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Breast cancer treatment often involved radiation to the breast. A side-effect of this treatment is skin redness, itching and burning. Some patients have quite severe reactions. Our current treatment for this is to avoid any soaps or other skin irritants and to use a moisturizing cream once all radiation is finished. Aloe vera is believed by many people to be useful for treatment of skin burns but this has never been proven in a randomized study. The aim of this study is to compare aloe vera gel versus plan gel versus the standard treatment to determine if there is any benefit. If there was a benefit of gel treatment over standard it could make radiation treatments more tolerable for cancer patients.
Detailed description
BackgroundRadiation therapy is an important component of treatment for breast cancer, especially in the setting of breast conservation. Even though cancer patients who are receiving radiation treatments follow established hygiene and skin-care protocols they still experience differing degrees of cutaneous skin reactions and associated symptoms of dryness, itchiness, burning sensations, and pain.1-7 For some patients the side-effects associated with radiation therapy can become so severe serious consideration is given to discontinuing treatments. The treatments currently used for reducing cutaneous reactions and symptoms are very limited and often ineffective.5-7 Anti-inflammatories and steroid-based topical pharmaceutical agents are used sparingly due in part to research findings8 and potential harmful side-effects.7 This has left physicians and patients using a trial and error approach in seeking an alternative treatment that will help these patients cope with (and sometimes endure) the cutaneous radiation side-effects. Ongoing clinical experience and discussions with present and former radiation patients reveals that skin irritation, breakdown, pain and associated suffering are common side-effects that patients wish they did not have to experience. The lack of effective, efficient, non-pharmacological treatments for reducing symptoms associated with cutaneous skin reactions to radiation cancer therapy is problematic. Study Objectives the overall aim of the study is to determine if biologically active A. barbadensis is a therapeutic agent for reduction of cutaneous side effects women experience as a result of undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer.The primary aim is to determine if there is a significant reduction or increase of cutaneous skin reactions using A. barbadensis on the irradiated skin of the breast or chest wall in comparison to following the standard CCI non-pharmacological treatment protocol and in comparison to using the moist inert vehicle gel on the irradiated site.The secondary aim is to explore if there is a reduction or increase in subjective symptoms at the irradiated site with the use of A. barbadensis in comparison to following the standard CCI 'best care' non-pharmacological treatment protocol and in comparison to using the moist inert vehicle gel on the irradiated site.MethodThis study is a single blind randomized controlled trial using a three Arm design. Analysis stratification is being conducted according to radiation technique, breast size, smoker vs. non-smoker, nutrition, protocol adherence, and prior chemotherapy. The control arm will treat the skin reaction as per standard CCI breast radiation protocol
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- adult age women receiving 4500cGy or 5000cGy for non-metastatic breast cancer.
- tumor bed boost allowed.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- patients with uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled eating disorder, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, active lupus or scleroderma, a known allergy to pure aloe gel, a pre-study contact dermatitis to study creams.
- consenting procedures not completed prior to 10cGy of radiation therapy.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Aloe barbadensis topical application in a moisturizing cream vehicle. | Procedure or surgery | – |
Primary outcome
Skin reaction severity.
1 secondary outcome
Symptom severity.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Jan 2017.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Donna L. Hoopfer, PhD principal investigator
AHS Cancer Control Alberta
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 3 study of Breast Cancer, run by AHS Cancer Control Alberta at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Jan 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Skin reaction severity.. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Jan 2017.