Trial Outcomes & Findings for Safely Stopping Pre-medications in Patients With Breast Cancer Who Are Receiving Paclitaxel (NCT NCT04862585)

NCT ID: NCT04862585

Last Updated: 2025-08-20

Results Overview

The proportion of patients having infusion HSR of grade 2 or greater requiring parental treatment (rescue medications) will be estimated along with a 95% confidence interval. The difference in proportions of patients with grade 2 or greater infusion HSR needing rescue medication will be estimated along with a 95% confidence interval using the Z-test of normal approximations of the binomial distributions. As a sensitivity analysis, will repeat the analysis including patients assigned to the discontinuation arm but decided to restart pre-medications and patients assigned to the continuation arm but demanded to have premedications discontinued as having experienced HSR.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

PHASE2/PHASE3

Target enrollment

130 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Up to 2 years and 8 months

Results posted on

2025-08-20

Participant Flow

130 subjects enrolled. 32 not randomized (29 experienced HSR in 1st or 2nd dose of Taxol, 1 ineligible, 2 withdrew). 98 randomized: 50 randomized to continue premeds (4 withdrew after randomization) total of 46 evaluable. 48 randomized to stop premeds (5 withdrew after randomization) total of 43 evaluable.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Arm I (Paclitaxel, Pre-medications)
Patients continue on pre-medications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel. Cimetidine: Given IV and/or PO Dexamethasone: Given IV and/or PO Diphenhydramine: Given IV and/or PO Famotidine: Given IV and/or PO Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies Ranitidine: Given IV and/or PO
Arm II (Paclitaxel)
Patients discontinue premedications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel, unless patient develops a subsequent infusion HSR. Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies
Overall Study
STARTED
50
48
Overall Study
COMPLETED
46
43
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
4
5

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure
Arm I (Paclitaxel, Pre-medications)
Patients continue on pre-medications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel. Cimetidine: Given IV and/or PO Dexamethasone: Given IV and/or PO Diphenhydramine: Given IV and/or PO Famotidine: Given IV and/or PO Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies Ranitidine: Given IV and/or PO
Arm II (Paclitaxel)
Patients discontinue premedications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel, unless patient develops a subsequent infusion HSR. Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies
Overall Study
two subjects withdrew due to perceived side effects of premedications
2
0
Overall Study
five subjects withdrew due to what they considered to be an unfavorable randomization assignment
2
3
Overall Study
one subject discontinued paclitaxel due to toxicity
0
1
Overall Study
one withdrew without providing a reason
0
1

Baseline Characteristics

Safely Stopping Pre-medications in Patients With Breast Cancer Who Are Receiving Paclitaxel

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Arm I (Paclitaxel, Pre-medications)
n=46 Participants
Patients continue on pre-medications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel. Cimetidine: Given IV and/or PO Dexamethasone: Given IV and/or PO Diphenhydramine: Given IV and/or PO Famotidine: Given IV and/or PO Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies Ranitidine: Given IV and/or PO
Arm II (Paclitaxel)
n=43 Participants
Patients discontinue premedications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel, unless patient develops a subsequent infusion HSR. Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies
Total
n=89 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
35 Participants
n=5 Participants
34 Participants
n=7 Participants
69 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
11 Participants
n=5 Participants
9 Participants
n=7 Participants
20 Participants
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
45 Participants
n=5 Participants
43 Participants
n=7 Participants
88 Participants
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
46 Participants
n=5 Participants
42 Participants
n=7 Participants
88 Participants
n=5 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
1 Participants
n=7 Participants
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
1 Participants
n=7 Participants
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
7 Participants
n=7 Participants
8 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
45 Participants
n=5 Participants
33 Participants
n=7 Participants
78 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
1 Participants
n=7 Participants
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
1 Participants
n=7 Participants
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
46 participants
n=5 Participants
43 participants
n=7 Participants
89 participants
n=5 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Up to 2 years and 8 months

The proportion of patients having infusion HSR of grade 2 or greater requiring parental treatment (rescue medications) will be estimated along with a 95% confidence interval. The difference in proportions of patients with grade 2 or greater infusion HSR needing rescue medication will be estimated along with a 95% confidence interval using the Z-test of normal approximations of the binomial distributions. As a sensitivity analysis, will repeat the analysis including patients assigned to the discontinuation arm but decided to restart pre-medications and patients assigned to the continuation arm but demanded to have premedications discontinued as having experienced HSR.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Arm I (Paclitaxel, Pre-medications)
n=46 Participants
Patients continue on pre-medications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel. Cimetidine: Given IV and/or PO Dexamethasone: Given IV and/or PO Diphenhydramine: Given IV and/or PO Famotidine: Given IV and/or PO Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies Ranitidine: Given IV and/or PO
Arm II (Paclitaxel)
n=43 Participants
Patients discontinue premedications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel, unless patient develops a subsequent infusion HSR. Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies
Proportion of Patients With Grade 2 or Greater Reactions That Require Parenteral Rescue Medications to Treat an Infusion Hypersensitivity Reaction (HSR) After the First 2 Doses of Paclitaxel With or Without Continued Premedication Dosing
0 Participants
1 Participants

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Up to 2 years and 8 months

Will determine whether an abbreviated pre-medication regimen results in an improvement in patient-reported quality of life, as measured by an 11-point numerical analog scale (scores range from 0-10 with higher values representing a worse QoL). Both "undesirable appetite increase" and "reported rash" will be rated on this 11-point scale from 0 to 10 with higher values representing a worse undesirable appetite or a worse rash. The "worst reported undesirable appetite increase" and "worst reported rash" scores representing the highest mean score reported at an individual time point for each arm, will be summarized. In addition the change from baseline will be summarized by mean separately by treatment arm. Data will be captured every day, for one week after each dose of chemotherapy.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Arm I (Paclitaxel, Pre-medications)
n=46 Participants
Patients continue on pre-medications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel. Cimetidine: Given IV and/or PO Dexamethasone: Given IV and/or PO Diphenhydramine: Given IV and/or PO Famotidine: Given IV and/or PO Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies Ranitidine: Given IV and/or PO
Arm II (Paclitaxel)
n=43 Participants
Patients discontinue premedications (dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, famotidine/ranitidine/cimetidine) with all future doses of paclitaxel, unless patient develops a subsequent infusion HSR. Paclitaxel: Weekly or every 14 day dosing Quality-of-Life Assessment: Ancillary studies
Correlation Between Abbreviated Premedication Regimen Results to Quality of Life (QoL)
Worst reported undesirable appetite increase
2.5 score on a scale
Interval 1.77 to 3.23
1 score on a scale
Interval 0.54 to 1.46
Correlation Between Abbreviated Premedication Regimen Results to Quality of Life (QoL)
Worst reported rash
3.3 score on a scale
Interval 2.58 to 4.12
2.3 score on a scale
Interval 1.48 to 3.13
Correlation Between Abbreviated Premedication Regimen Results to Quality of Life (QoL)
Change in undesirable appetite increase from baseline
1.7 score on a scale
Interval 1.08 to 2.36
0.5 score on a scale
Interval 0.15 to 0.8
Correlation Between Abbreviated Premedication Regimen Results to Quality of Life (QoL)
Change in reported rash from baseline
2.9 score on a scale
Interval 2.11 to 3.72
1.9 score on a scale
Interval 1.13 to 2.59

OTHER_PRE_SPECIFIED outcome

Timeframe: Up to 6 years

Each symptom will be summarized by median (range) at each time point by treatment arm and the weekly average will be compared between arms using the Wilcoxon rank sum test.

Outcome measures

Outcome data not reported

OTHER_PRE_SPECIFIED outcome

Timeframe: Up to 6 years

The frequency and percentages of patients who, after discontinuing pre-medications, request that the pre-medications be resumed to ameliorate side-effects that the patient thinks have worsened since pre-medications were stopped (i.e. nausea, rash, arthralgia) will be summarized.

Outcome measures

Outcome data not reported

OTHER_PRE_SPECIFIED outcome

Timeframe: Up to 6 years

Weight changes over time will be summarized at each time point using mean (standard deviation) and plotted by treatment arm. Weight change from baseline to 10 weeks post-randomization will be compared between arms that receive weekly paclitaxel using a t-test of two independent samples.

Outcome measures

Outcome data not reported

OTHER_PRE_SPECIFIED outcome

Timeframe: Up to 6 years

Will report the impact of patient self-reported allergies, prior to starting paclitaxel (2 or more versus 3 or less), on the incidence of infusion HSR and rescue medication usage. Frequency of patient self-reported allergies (2 or more versus less) on the incidence of infusion HSR and rescue medication usage will be tabulated.

Outcome measures

Outcome data not reported

OTHER_PRE_SPECIFIED outcome

Timeframe: Up to 6 years

The rates of rescue medication by arms will be estimated by race/ethnicity group to explore whether there is a differential effect from stopping hypersensitivity reaction by race/ethnicity.

Outcome measures

Outcome data not reported

Adverse Events

Arm I (Paclitaxel, Pre-medications)

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Arm II (Paclitaxel)

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Mike Berger, PharmD

Ohio State University

Phone: 614-366-0556

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place