A Feasibility Study Evaluating a Role for Maintenance Therapy in Patients With Biochemically Progressive Castration Sensitive Prostate Cancer on Intermittent Androgen Deprivation Therapy

NCT ID: NCT06044025

Last Updated: 2026-01-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: PHASE1
• Total Enrollment: 34 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-04-11
• Study Completion Date: 2028-10-31

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the feasibility of adding a combination of metformin and turmeric as part of a nutritional intervention regimen to the current standard of care, namely, intermittent Androgen Deprivation Therapy (iADT), for patients with castration sensitive biochemical progressive prostate cancer.

The main objectives are:

• Assess the feasibility of the study population and enrollment.
• Evaluate time to PSA relapse with nutritional intervention on iADT.

Participants who are receiving iADT will be dispensed Metformin and turmeric and complete a pill diary. Participants will also have blood and stool samples collected and complete quality of life questionnaires.

The long-term goal is to further assess the efficacy and safety of this nutritional regimen and the roles of metabolic syndrome, microenvironment/microbiome, and genomic vs epigenomic profiles in the care of these patients through a clinical trial.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this research is to determine if a nutritional plan of metformin and turmeric is feasible for individuals receiving iADT for prostate cancer. Turmeric is an over-the-counter supplement that is believed to provide anti-inflammatory effects. Metformin is an FDA-approved medication for diabetes to help lower blood sugar. This feasibility study will be conducted according to the standard of care (SoC) for eligible subjects receiving iADT but coordinated and streamlined in a prospective manner to care for subjects while collecting and annotating data for the duration of their care.

All subjects will receive iADT + turmeric + metformin + dietary consultation.

SoC laboratory tests will be performed in accordance with clinical practice for the care of patients with prostate cancer on or off iADT. Additional vials of blood will be collected for research purposes in order to assess epigenetic biomarkers, CSC biomarkers, and cancer dormancy biomarkers. Stool samples will be used to obtain microbiome profiles. QOL instruments (FACT-P and AMS) will also be administered.

Conditions

Castration Sensitive Prostate Cancer

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Metformin + Turmeric

Each subject will begin using metformin and turmeric within 7 days of consent. Subjects will start with metformin 500 mg by mouth (po) two times daily (bid) with meals for 14 days. Metformin titration will then increase to 850 milligram (mg) po bid for 14 days before increasing titration to a desired dosage of 1,000 mg po bid. For those subjects currently taking Metformin, they will continue current dose (if 1,000 mg po bid) or titrate dose as just described until maximum dose is achieved.

After two weeks of metformin titration, each subject will start with 1,500 mg turmeric po daily with meals. Dose can be temporarily reduced to 1,000 mg po daily for those who report GI discomfort. If GI discomfort has resolved within one month of the dose reduction, subjects will resume 1,500 mg po daily. If GI discomfort has not resolved the participant may be insturcted to stop taking the study treatment and be removed from the study.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Metformin

Intervention Type: DRUG

Subjects will start with metformin 500 mg by mouth (po) two times daily (bid) with meals for 14 days. Metformin titration will then increase to 850 milligram (mg) po bid for 14 days before increasing titration to a desired dosage of 1,000 mg po bid. For those subjects currently taking Metformin, they will continue current dose (if 1,000 mg po bid) or titrate dose as just described until maximum dose is achieved.

Turmeric

Intervention Type: DRUG

Each subject will start with 1,500 mg turmeric po daily with meals. The dose can be temporarily reduced to 1,000 mg po daily for those who report GI discomfort. If GI discomfort has resolved within one month of the dose reduction, subjects will resume 1,500 mg po daily. If GI discomfort has not resolved or resumes at increased dose, the subject may be instructed to stop taking the study treatment and removed from the study.

Interventions

Metformin

Subjects will start with metformin 500 mg by mouth (po) two times daily (bid) with meals for 14 days. Metformin titration will then increase to 850 milligram (mg) po bid for 14 days before increasing titration to a desired dosage of 1,000 mg po bid. For those subjects currently taking Metformin, they will continue current dose (if 1,000 mg po bid) or titrate dose as just described until maximum dose is achieved.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Turmeric

Each subject will start with 1,500 mg turmeric po daily with meals. The dose can be temporarily reduced to 1,000 mg po daily for those who report GI discomfort. If GI discomfort has resolved within one month of the dose reduction, subjects will resume 1,500 mg po daily. If GI discomfort has not resolved or resumes at increased dose, the subject may be instructed to stop taking the study treatment and removed from the study.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• 18 years of age or older.
• History of prior prostatectomy and/or radiation therapy to the prostate.
• Currently have rising PSA levels ≥ 0.2 ng/ml if they have undergone radical prostatectomy, or a PSA ≥ nadir + 2 if they have received only radiotherapy. Patients who were not offered salvage radiotherapy as an alternative treatment will be considered ineligible (due to a high PSA, other medical concerns).
• Currently have at least 2 consecutively rising serum PSA levels more than 1 week apart
• Currently have a PSA doubling time < 9 months obtained within 60 days of consent.
• Eugonad with testosterone > 150 ng/dl at time of consent.
• Prior ADT (including iADT) for up to 24 months in association with definitive treatment is permitted if completed at least 12 months prior to consent.
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 - 1.
• Willing to take study agents at the dose specified with meals.
• Willing to discontinue current vitamin/mineral supplements and use only those provided by study. Herbal supplements may still be used.

Exclusion Criteria

• Current Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Monoclonal Gammopathy of Unknown Significance (MGUS), Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) or another cancer requiring active treatment. Indolent or stable malignancies such as non-melanoma skin cancers are allowed.
• Any active or deteriorating liver or renal disease, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or bone marrow deficiency.
• Any history of allergic reactions attributed to turmeric, metformin, or other compounds of similar chemical or biologic compositions.
• History of lactic acidosis or risk factors for lactic acidosis (e.g., renal impairment, concomitant use of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors such as topiramate, hypoxic states such as acute congestive heart failure, excessive alcohol intake, and hepatic impairment).
• Any other condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, might interfere with the safe conduct of the study.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 100 Years
• Eligible Sex: MALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Arkansas

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Shi-Ming Tu, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Arkansas

Locations

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Madison Trujillo

Role: CONTACT

MTrujillo@uams.edu

5016868274

Aaron Holley

Role: CONTACT

jaholley@uams.edu

5016868274

Facility Contacts

Aaron Holley

Role: primary

jaholley@uams.edu

5016868274

Other Identifiers

274850

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id