Guarana for Fatigue in Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors and Early Stage Gynecologic Cancers
This phase II trial tests how well giving guarana works to improve fatigue in patients with neuroendocrine tumors or early stage gynecologic cancers. Fatigue is a symptom commonly experienced by patients with cancer, and is seen before, during and after treatment. Fatigue can be caused by many factors including the underlying cancer itself, cancer treatments, mental health disorders, medication side effects, pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, malnutrition, anemia, and insomnia. Guarana is a commercially available supplement made from the plant Paullinia Cupana found in the Amazon basin and has been used as a supplement to treat fatigue. Guarana seeds contain roughly twice the caffeine compared to coffee beans. However, the improvement in fatigue is believed to be derived from other active components. Giving guarana may work well to improve fatigue in patients with neuroendocrine tumors and early stage gynecologic cancers.
Inclusion Criteria
- Subjects aged ≥ 18 years
- COHORT A (neuroendocrine [NET] only): Subjects with well differentiated neuroendocrine tumors who are either on a watch- and-wait approach or receiving treatment with somatostatin analog(s). Patient who received and completed another active treatment but are on a “break” from treatment will be allowed to enroll (e.g., patients that had completed peptide receptor radionuclide therapy [PRRT])
- COHORT B (gynecological [gyn] only): *Subjects with early-stage (I or II) ovarian/fallopian-tube cancer in surveillance who have completed all treatment or are receiving adjuvant treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy +/- maintenance therapy with poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase (PARP) inhibitor(s) or bevacizumab OR * Subjects with endometrial cancer which is low risk, low-intermediate risk in surveillance, or high-intermediate risk receiving brachytherapy. Risk category is based on gynecologic oncology group (GOG) criteria
- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤ 2
- Documentation of a score of 4 or higher when answering either of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended screening questions ("How exhausted do you feel on a scale of 0 to 10?" or "How impaired do you feel by this fatigue on a scale of 0 to 10?") within 4 weeks prior to randomization
- Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
- Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)(serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/ alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase [SGPT]) ≤ 3 × institutional ULN * Subjects with liver metastases will be allowed to enroll with AST and ALT levels ≤ 5 x ULN
- Estimated creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min by Cockcroft-Gault formula
- For female subjects: Negative pregnancy test or evidence of post-menopausal status. The post-menopausal status will be defined as having been amenorrheic for 12 months without an alternative medical cause. The following age-specific requirements apply: * Women < 50 years of age: ** Amenorrheic for ≥ 12 months following cessation of exogenous hormonal treatments; and luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels in the post-menopausal range for the institution; or ** Underwent surgical sterilization (bilateral oophorectomy or hysterectomy). * Women ≥ 50 years of age: ** Amenorrheic for 12 months or more following cessation of all exogenous hormonal treatments and luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone levels in the post-menopausal range for the institution; or ** Amenorrhea for 24 months following cessation of all exogenous hormonal treatments, if applicable; or ** Had radiation-induced menopause with last menses > 1 year ago; or ** Had chemotherapy-induced menopause with last menses > 1 year ago; or ** Underwent surgical sterilization (bilateral oophorectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, or hysterectomy)
- Female subjects of childbearing potential and male subjects with a sexual partner of childbearing potential must agree to use a highly effective method of contraception
- Able to provide informed consent and willing to sign an approved consent form that conforms to federal and institutional guidelines
Exclusion Criteria
- For the NET cohort: Receiving treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy, radiation therapy, PRRT or tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) within 6 weeks prior to the first dose of study treatment
- For the Gyn cohort: Receiving any systemic treatment besides those listed in Inclusion 3 Cohort B (Gyn only) within 6 weeks prior to the first dose of study treatment
- Untreated or uncontrolled hypothyroidism (thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH] must be within institutional normal limits for age)
- History of significant autoimmune disease in the opinion of the investigator that is likely to impact study participation
- Prior use of guarana supplements within two months of consent
- Self-reported “caffeine sensitivity” defined as excessive unwanted feelings of anxiousness, jitteriness, difficulty sleeping, or anxiety after caffeine exposure, which in the opinion of the Investigator is likely to negatively impact study participation
- Concurrent use of psychostimulants (e.g., lisdexamfetamine, methylphenidate)
- Major surgery within 4 weeks prior to starting study therapy or subjects who have not fully recovered from major surgery
- The diagnosis of another malignancy which, in the opinion of the investigator, is likely to negatively impact subject safety or study aims
- Known brain metastases or cranial epidural disease. * Note: Subjects with brain metastases or cranial epidural disease adequately treated with radiotherapy and/or surgery and stable for at least 4 weeks before the first dose of study treatment will be allowed on trial. Subjects must be neurologically asymptomatic and without corticosteroid treatment at the time of the first dose of study treatment
- Current evidence of uncontrolled, significant intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, the following conditions: * Cardiovascular disorders: ** Significant symptomatic carcinoid heart disease in the opinion of the investigator ** Congestive heart failure New York Heart Association Class III or IV, unstable angina pectoris, serious cardiac arrhythmias. ** Stroke (including transient ischemic attack [TIA]), myocardial infarction (MI), or other ischemic events) within 3 months before the first dose. ** Thromboembolic events (eg, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism) within 1 month before the first dose. ** QTc prolongation defined as a Fridericia's corrected QT interval (QTcF) > 500 ms. ** Known congenital long QT. ** Uncontrolled hypertension per investigator assessment or grade 3 hypertension per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) verson (v) .5.0 * Any other condition that would, in the Investigator’s judgment, contraindicate the subject’s participation in the clinical study due to safety concerns or compliance with clinical study procedures (e.g., infection/inflammation, intestinal obstruction, unable to swallow medication, [subjects may not receive the therapy through a feeding tube], social/ psychological issues, etc.)
- Known HIV infection with a detectable viral load within 6 months of the anticipated start of treatment. * Note: Subjects on effective antiretroviral therapy with an undetectable viral load within 6 months of the anticipated start of treatment are eligible for this trial
- Known active infection including tuberculosis (clinical evaluation that includes clinical history, physical examination, radiographic findings, and tuberculosis (TB) testing in line with local practice), hepatitis B (known positive hepatitis B virus [HBV] surface antigen [HBsAg] result), or hepatitis C. * Note: Subjects with a past or resolved HBV infection (defined as the presence of hepatitis B core antibody [anti-HBc] and absence of HBsAg) are eligible. Subjects positive for hepatitis C (HCV) antibody are eligible only if polymerase chain reaction is negative for HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA)
- Medical, psychiatric, cognitive, or other conditions that may compromise the subject's ability to understand the subject information, give informed consent, comply with the study protocol or complete the study
- Known hypersensitivity or allergy to investigational product (IP)
- Subjects taking prohibited medications or medications for which caffeine intake is contraindicated including: β-adrenergic agonists, and/or medications that contain pseudoephedrine. A washout period of prohibited medications for a period of at least five half-lives or as clinically indicated should occur before the start of treatment
Additional locations may be listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT07151391.
Locations matching your search criteria
United States
Utah
Salt Lake City
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To assess the use of guarana to improve symptoms of fatigue in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and gynecologic (ovarian/fallopian tube and endometrial) cancers. (Stage 1)
II. To estimate the Cohen’s effect size for planning of the randomized controlled trial in stage II. (Stage 1)
III. To evaluate if the fatigue score changes from baseline to day 21 and 42 days differs between the guarana treated arm and the placebo arm. (Stage 2)
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To assess the safety and tolerability of guarana in the study population.
II. To evaluate quality of life with use of guarana.
III. To describe the subjective patient experience with guarana supplementation by asking the patients, “How would you describe your experience with guarana supplementation?” at the end of the study.
OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to stage 1 or stage 2.
STAGE 1: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Patients receive guarana orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-21 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.
ARM II: Patients receive placebo PO QD on days 1-21 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.
STAGE 2: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM III: Patients receive guarana PO QD on days 1-42 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.
ARM IV: Patients receive placebo PO QD on days 1-42 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo blood sample collection throughout the study.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 2 weeks.
Trial PhasePhase II
Trial Typesupportive care
Lead OrganizationHuntsman Cancer Institute/University of Utah
Principal InvestigatorErin P Ward
- Primary IDHCI188422
- Secondary IDsNCI-2025-06354
- ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT07151391