Alleviation of Alopecia in Breast Cancer Patient Using Synbiotics Formula

NCT ID: NCT06560385

Last Updated: 2024-09-19

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-09-11

Study Completion Date

2026-08-18

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This study aims to explore the efficacy and safety of a synbiotic formula (BLHK03) in alleviating chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) in breast cancer patients and the compositional and functional changes in the gut microbiome of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and treatment with BLHK03.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

In a mice study, it was shown that oral administration of a probiotic isolated from healthy faeces, B. longum HK003, has protective effects against alopecia related to chemotherapy. Mice were treated with 100 mg/kg cyclophosphamide (CYP) once monthly, for 4 months. The CYP-treated mice were then treated with B. longum HK003 for 14 days. Results showed that B. longum treatment significantly enhanced skin thickness histologically. In the subcutis, the quantity and size of anagen follicles were increased, whilst the quantity of atrophic follicles were decreased.

Currently, there is no documentation of potential probiotic-drug interactions in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. A previous randomized controlled trial reported no adverse event associated with the use of synbiotics in breast cancer patients during the treatment period(9). Beneficial effects on chemotherapy-induced fatigue and abnormal stool consistency were also observed in subjects receiving synbiotics(9).

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some food and available as a dietary supplement for healthy hair and nails due to its role in keratin production. Most healthy individuals achieve adequate intake of biotin through a well-balanced diet. Current recommendation for biotin by the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine stated that the daily adequate intake (AI) for adults is 30 mcg/day. Although biotin has been widely used as dietary supplement, data on the actual benefit of its effect on hair growth is limited(10).

The use of B. longum HK003 in alleviating chemotherapy-induced alopecia in breast cancer patients has not been explored. This pilot, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial aims to explore on the efficacy and safety of a synbiotic formula (BLHK03) in alleviating chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) in breast cancer patients.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Breast Cancer Hair Loss

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

All subjects will be randomized into two group to take BLHK03 or active placebo (Vitamin B7) daily from the start of the chemotherapy cycle to 2 months after the final dose of chemotherapy.
Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators
Attending physicians, investigators performing assessments in clinic visits and study participants will be blinded to the group allocation until study completion.

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Active arm

Subjects will receive 1 sachet of BLHK03 daily from the start of the chemotherapy cycle to 2 months after the final dose of chemotherapy.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

BLHK03

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

BLHK03 consists of a blend of probiotics (20 billion CFU in 1 sachet) and prebiotic compounds

Placebo arm

Subjects will receive 1 sachet of active placebo daily from the start of the chemotherapy cycle to 2 months after the final dose of chemotherapy.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Active placebo

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Active placebo contains 5mcg of Vitamin B7

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

BLHK03

BLHK03 consists of a blend of probiotics (20 billion CFU in 1 sachet) and prebiotic compounds

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Active placebo

Active placebo contains 5mcg of Vitamin B7

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Females aged between 18 and 60 years who are newly diagnosed with stage I, II or III breast cancer
* Planned chemotherapy including an anthracycline or taxane to be completed within 6 months
* Mentally capable to participate in the study and provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* Pre-existing female-pattern baldness resembling picture I-3 or higher on the Savin scale at baseline
* History of hair transplantation, psoriasis or severe scalp infection
* Undergoing or plan to receive scalp cooling
* Plan for immunotherapy
* Known pregnancy or lactating
* Severe cardiac, hepatic, renal, pulmonary and haematic lesions or other life-threatening conditions
* Use of antibiotics, probiotics or prebiotics one month prior to enrolment
* No other alternative or complementary treatment for the cancer condition that may affect the gut microbiome analysis
* History of allergy to probiotics or lactose
* History of chemotherapy for other conditions
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

60 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

GenieBiome Limited

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Jessica Ching, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

GenieBiome Limited

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

GenieBiome Limited

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Heal Medical

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Hong Kong

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Emily Chiu, BSc

Role: CONTACT

Pui Kuan Cheong, MPH

Role: CONTACT

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Jessica Ching, PhD

Role: primary

Emily Chiu, Bsc

Role: primary

9740 5209

Jessica Ching, PhD

Role: backup

9740 5209

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Lam S, Zhang J, Yang K, Chu LC, Zhu W, Tang W, Chan FKL, Chan PKS, Wu WKK, Ng SC. Modulation of gut microbiota impacts diet-induced and drug-induced alopecia in mice. Gut. 2022 Nov;71(11):2366-2369. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-326320. Epub 2022 Jan 5. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34987064 (View on PubMed)

Khazaei Y, Basi A, Fernandez ML, Foudazi H, Bagherzadeh R, Shidfar F. The effects of synbiotics supplementation on reducing chemotherapy-induced side effects in women with breast cancer: a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2023 Sep 26;23(1):339. doi: 10.1186/s12906-023-04165-8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 37752516 (View on PubMed)

Patel DP, Swink SM, Castelo-Soccio L. A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss. Skin Appendage Disord. 2017 Aug;3(3):166-169. doi: 10.1159/000462981. Epub 2017 Apr 27.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28879195 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

BCIA Study

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.