Open Labeled Placebo in Reducing Cancer Related Fatigue in Patients With Advanced Cancer

NCT ID: NCT03927885

Last Updated: 2025-08-14

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE2/PHASE3

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-03-30

Study Completion Date

2026-12-31

Brief Summary

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This phase II/III trial studies an open labeled placebo to see how well it works compared with waitlist control in reducing cancer related fatigue in patients with cancer that has spread to other places in the body. A placebo is not a drug and is not designed to treat any disease or illness. Recent studies have found that cancer related fatigue symptoms in cancer survivors are improved with open labeled placebo (that is, patients know they are taking a placebo). It is not yet known how well an open labeled placebo works when compared with waitlist control in reducing cancer related fatigue.

Detailed Description

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PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine the effects of open labeled placebo one tablet twice a day (OLP) compared to waitlist control (WLC) for reducing cancer-related fatigue (CRF) as measured by the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) subscale in fatigued advanced cancer patients at the end of one week.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the preliminary efficacy open labeled placebo (OLP) and WLC on various fatigue dimensions - (Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory, MFSI-SF), depression (The Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression \[CES-D\]), cancer symptoms (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System \[ESAS\]), function and strength (six minute walk test, and 30-sec chair stand test), Global Symptom Evaluation (GSE), and quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General \[FACT-G\]) in these advanced cancer patients.

II. To determine effects of OLP on fatigue symptom composite score (ESAS fatigue, pain and depression) at the end of 1st and 4th week.

III. To examine the adherence and safety for the OLP as treatment for cancer related fatigue.

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

ARM I: Patients receive open labeled placebo orally (PO) twice daily (BID) for 4 weeks in the absence of disease progression.

ARM II: Patients are assigned to a waiting list during week 1. Beginning in week 2, patients receive open labeled placebo PO BID for 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression.

Conditions

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Advanced Malignant Solid Neoplasm Metastatic Malignant Solid Neoplasm Recurrent Malignant Solid Neoplasm

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Arm I (open labeled placebo)

Patients receive open labeled placebo PO BID for 4 weeks in the absence of disease progression.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Placebo Administration

Intervention Type OTHER

Given open labeled placebo PO

Quality-of-Life Assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

Ancillary studies

Questionnaire Administration

Intervention Type OTHER

Ancillary studies

Arm II (waiting list, open labeled placebo)

Patients are assigned to a waiting list during week 1. Beginning in week 2, patients receive open labeled placebo PO BID for 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Placebo Administration

Intervention Type OTHER

Given open labeled placebo PO

Quality-of-Life Assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

Ancillary studies

Questionnaire Administration

Intervention Type OTHER

Ancillary studies

Waiting List

Intervention Type OTHER

Assigned to a waiting list

Interventions

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Placebo Administration

Given open labeled placebo PO

Intervention Type OTHER

Quality-of-Life Assessment

Ancillary studies

Intervention Type OTHER

Questionnaire Administration

Ancillary studies

Intervention Type OTHER

Waiting List

Assigned to a waiting list

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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Quality of Life Assessment Waitlist

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Patient with a diagnosis of advanced cancer (metastatic or recurrent incurable solid tumors)
* Presence of fatigue of \>= 4/10 on Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) Fatigue item (0-10 severity scale)
* Patient should describe fatigue as being present for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to screening
* Uncontrolled pain; patient is on opioids for the treatment of cancer pain, he/she must have had no major dose change (\> 25%) for at least 48 hours prior to study entry. Change in opioid dose after study entry is allowed
* Patient must be 18 years of age or older. The questionnaires used in this study have been validated only in the adult population
* Patient must be willing to engage in telephone follow up with research staff
* Patient must have telephone access to be contacted by the research staff
* Hemoglobin level of \>= 8 g/dL. Patient may receive packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion so as to have hemoglobin level of \>= 8 g/dL so at participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

* Surgery, or pain relieving procedures within 2 weeks of entry into the study or during the study period
* Patients with history of substance abuse (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye opener \[CAGE\] \>= 2+), cognitively impaired (MD Anderson Symptom \[MDAS\] \> 7)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Cancer Institute (NCI)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Sriram Yennu

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Locations

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M D Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, Texas, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Related Links

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http://www.mdanderson.org

M D Anderson Cancer Center

Other Identifiers

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NCI-2019-01027

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

2018-0526

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

2018-0526

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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