Status:

COMPLETED

American Ginseng in Treating Patients With Cancer-Related Fatigue

Lead Sponsor:

Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology

Collaborating Sponsors:

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Conditions:

Fatigue

Unspecified Adult Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific

Eligibility:

All Genders

18+ years

Phase:

NA

Brief Summary

RATIONALE: American ginseng may help relieve cancer-related fatigue. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well American ginseng works in treating patients with cancer-related fatigue.

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Compare the efficacy of American ginseng, administered at 3 different doses, vs placebo in patients with cancer-related fatigue. Secondary * Determine the toxic effects and t...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
  • Histologically or cytologically confirmed cancer
  • Experiences cancer-related fatigue, defined as a baseline fatigue score of ≥ 4 on a numerical analogue scale (0-10)
  • Fatigue must be present for ≥ 1 month before study entry
  • No primary brain cancer, brain metastases, or other CNS malignancy, including CNS lymphoma
  • PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
  • Age
  • 18 and over
  • Performance status
  • ECOG 0-2
  • Life expectancy
  • At least 6 months
  • Hematopoietic
  • Hemoglobin ≥ 11 g/dL
  • Hepatic
  • SGOT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • Renal
  • Calcium ≤ 1.2 times ULN
  • Creatinine ≤ 1.2 times ULN
  • Cardiovascular
  • No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., diastolic blood pressure \[BP\] \> 100 mm Hg and/or systolic BP \> 160)
  • Other
  • Not pregnant or nursing
  • Negative pregnancy test
  • Fertile patients must use effective contraception
  • No diabetes, defined as receiving oral hypoglycemics or insulin
  • No hypersensitivity to ginseng
  • No uncontrolled pain, hypothyroidism, or insomnia that is considered to be the primary cause of patient's fatigue
  • Not currently under the care of a psychiatrist for documented psychiatric disorder (e.g., severe depression, manic depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or schizophrenia)
  • PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
  • Biologic therapy
  • Concurrent epoetin alfa for treatment of anemia allowed
  • Chemotherapy
  • Concurrent chemotherapy allowed except CHOP therapy
  • Endocrine therapy
  • No concurrent chronic systemic steroids
  • Radiotherapy
  • Not specified
  • Surgery
  • More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery
  • Other
  • No prior ginseng capsules for fatigue
  • Prior ginseng-containing teas or drinks purchased at a grocery store allowed
  • No concurrent pharmacologic agents for the treatment of fatigue, including any of the following:
  • Psychostimulants
  • Antidepressants
  • Antidepressants used to treat conditions other than fatigue (e.g., hot flashes) are allowed provided the patient has been on a stable dose for ≥ 1 month and plans to continue antidepressant for ≥ 1 month
  • No concurrent monoamine oxidase inhibitors
  • No concurrent full anticoagulation doses of warfarin or heparin
  • A dose of 1 mg/day for preventing catheter clots allowed

Exclusion

    Key Trial Info

    Start Date :

    October 1 2005

    Trial Type :

    INTERVENTIONAL

    Allocation :

    ACTUAL

    End Date :

    April 1 2010

    Estimated Enrollment :

    290 Patients enrolled

    Trial Details

    Trial ID

    NCT00182780

    Start Date

    October 1 2005

    End Date

    April 1 2010

    Last Update

    October 31 2017

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