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Last Modified: 7/17/2007     First Published: 2/21/2007  
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Phase III Randomized Study of Early Hospital Discharge Versus Standard Inpatient Management in Cancer Patients Receiving Oral Antibiotics for Low-Risk Febrile Neutropenia

Alternate Title
Basic Trial Information
Objectives
Entry Criteria
Expected Enrollment
Outcomes
Outline
Trial Contact Information
Registry Information

Alternate Title

Early Hospital Discharge or Standard Inpatient Care in Cancer Patients Receiving Antibiotics for Febrile Neutropenia

Basic Trial Information

PhaseTypeStatusAgeSponsorProtocol IDs
Phase IIIHealth services research, Supportive careActive18 and overOtherCRUK-MX3006
CRUK-ORANGE, ISRCTN18467252, EU-20707, NCT00445497

Objectives

  1. Identify cancer patients who are low-risk inpatients and meet criteria for early discharge (i.e., symptomatic improvement and temperature ≤ 37.8°C) after receiving oral antibiotics for febrile neutropenia.

Entry Criteria

Disease Characteristics:

  • Diagnosis of solid tumor or lymphoma AND meets the following criteria:
    • Low-risk patient, defined as Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer prognostic index score ≥ 21
    • Presents with neutropenic fever defined as follows:
      • Absolute neutrophil count ≤ 500/mm³ OR < 1,000/mm³ but anticipated to fall to ≤ 500/mm³ within 24 hours of study entry
      • Temperature ≥ 38.5°C on a single measurement or ≥ 38.0°C on > 1 occasion (one of which could be measured by the patient prior to admission) ≥ 1 hour apart
    • Undergoing concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy for treatment of solid tumors or lymphoma
  • No leukemia

Prior/Concurrent Therapy:

  • See Disease Characteristics
  • No prior participation in this study for neutropenic episode
  • No prior bone marrow transplantation or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation
  • No prior treatment for leukemia
  • More than 72 hours since prior antibiotics, including prophylactic antibiotics
    • Prophylactic septrin (for pneumocystis), acyclovir, or antifungals are allowed
  • No concurrent granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy

Patient Characteristics:

  • Compliant and appropriate for early discharge
  • Able to read a thermometer (patient or caregiver)
  • Able to tolerate oral medication
  • Must have a responsible adult caregiver if eligible for early discharge
  • No known allergy to oral antibiotics or penicillin
  • No requirement for IV fluid support
  • No central venous catheter-associated infection or evidence of infection not amenable to treatment by study antibiotics
  • No neutropenic fever at high risk of complications
  • No associated comorbidity that requires hospitalization and management
  • No known HIV positivity

Expected Enrollment

400

A total of 400 patients will be accrued for this study.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome(s)

Total number of days of hospitalization (including unplanned readmission) (randomized patients)
Incidence of serious adverse events (randomized and registered patients)

Secondary Outcome(s)

Incidence of treatment failure as defined by the necessity for change in antibiotic therapy (randomized and registered patients)
Incidence of unplanned readmissions (randomized patients)
Patient acceptability of randomized discharge policy as measured by Health Questionnaire, Cancer Worries Inventory Booklet, and Patient Daily Diary (randomized patients)
Toxicity attributed to oral antibiotic therapy as measured by NCI CTCAE v3.0 (randomized and registered patients)
Health service costs (randomized patients)

Outline

This is a randomized, prospective, multicenter study. Patients are stratified by disease type (lymphoma vs solid tumor), duration of registration (< 48 hours vs > 48 hours), and participating center.

Patients receive oral amoxicillin-clavulanate potassium 3 times daily and oral ciprofloxacin twice daily on admission to the hospital. Treatment continues for 7 days in the absence of clinical deterioration or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are assessed as inpatients after ≥ 24 and up to 72 hours after the first antibiotic dose. Patients showing clear response (i.e., symptomatic improvement irrespective of neutrophil recovery, temperature ≤ 37.8 C for 24 hours) and who continue to meet study eligibility criteria are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

  • Arm I (early discharge): Patients are discharged home and instructed to remain in daily contact with hospital staff to report temperature and symptoms until completion of oral antibiotic regimen.
  • Arm II (standard management): Patients continue their antibiotic course in hospital and are discharged according to local guidelines and the following additional criteria: subjective improvement, afebrile (≤ 37°C for 24 hours), and absolute neutrophil count ≥ 500/mm³ and rising.

Patients in both arms complete a daily diary documenting daily temperature readings, symptoms, and toxicities. Patients also complete a Health Questionnaire and a Cancer Worries Inventory Booklet at baseline, in the hospital immediately after randomization, and at completion of oral antibiotics or resolution of neutropenic febrile episode.

Peer Reviewed and Funded or Endorsed by Cancer Research UK

Trial Contact Information

Trial Lead Organizations

Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology

Ernest Marshall, MD, Protocol chair
Ph: 44-151-334-1155

Trial Sites

United Kingdom
England
  Cheltenham
 Gloucestershire Oncology Centre at Cheltenham General Hospital
 Contact Person
Ph: 44-0124-2222-2222
  Hull
 Princess Royal Hospital at Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust
 Contact Person
Ph: 44-0148-2701151
  Leicester
 Leicester Royal Infirmary
 Contact Person
Ph: 44-011-6254-1414
  Merseyside
 Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology
 Ernest Marshall, MD
Ph: 44-151-334-1155
  Northampton
 Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
 Contact Person
Ph: 44-016-0463-4700
  Peterborough
 Peterborough Hospitals Trust
 Contact Person
Ph: 44-0173-387-4000
  Sheffield
 Cancer Research Centre at Weston Park Hospital
 Contact Person
Ph: 44-114-226-5000
  West Yorkshire
 Airedale General Hospital
 Contact Person
Ph: 44-015-356-2511
Scotland
  Glasgow
 Western Infirmary
 Contact Person
Ph: 44-0114-226-5000
Wales
  Bangor
 Ysbyty Gwynedd
 Contact Person
Ph: 44-0124-838-4384

Registry Information
Official Title A Prospective Randomised Phase III Trial of Early Hospital Discharge Versus Standard Inpatient Management of Cancer Patients with Low-Risk Febrile Neutropenia Receiving Oral Antibiotics. Oral Antibiotics for Neutropenic Sepsis Giving Early Hospital Discharge [ORANGE]
Trial Start Date 2007-07-16
Trial Completion Date 2010-07-16 (estimated)
Registered in ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00445497
Date Submitted to PDQ 2007-01-25
Information Last Verified 2007-05-30

Note: The purpose of most clinical trials listed in this database is to test new cancer treatments, or new methods of diagnosing, screening, or preventing cancer. Because all potentially harmful side effects are not known before a trial is conducted, dose and schedule modifications may be required for participants if they develop side effects from the treatment or test. The therapy or test described in this clinical trial is intended for use by clinical oncologists in carefully structured settings, and may not prove to be more effective than standard treatment. A responsible investigator associated with this clinical trial should be consulted before using this protocol.

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