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CompletedNCT00041275Updated Sep 20, 2013

Megestrol in Treating Patients With Liver Cancer That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

A Phase 3 interventional study of megestrol acetate in Liver Cancer, sponsored by National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Singapore. Completed at 12 sites in 10 countries. Open to participants aged 20 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-09-20.

Sponsored by National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Singapore · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
300
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
20 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

RATIONALE: Estrogen can stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Hormone therapy using megestrol may fight liver cancer by blocking the uptake of estrogen. It is not yet known if megestrol is an effective treatment for liver cancer.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of megestrol in treating patients who have liver cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.

Read the detailed description

OBJECTIVES:

  • Compare the overall survival of patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with megestrol vs placebo.
  • Compare the quality of life of patients treated with these drugs.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to participating center. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

  • Arm I: Patients receive oral megestrol twice daily for 1 year.
  • Arm II: Patients receive an oral placebo twice daily for 1 year. Quality of life is assessed at baseline and then monthly for 1 year.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A minimum of 300 patients (200 for arm I and 100 for arm II) will be accrued for this study.

02

Conditions studied

  • Liver Cancer

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Keywords

  • localized unresectable adult primary liver cancer
  • advanced adult primary liver cancer
  • adult primary hepatocellular carcinoma
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
20 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

    • Histologically confirmed OR
    • Meets 2 of the following criteria:

      • Radiological evidence of HCC on CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound
      • Serum alpha-fetoprotein level at least 400 µg/L
      • Positive lipiodol retention
  • Not amenable to surgery

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

  • 20 to 100

Performance status:

  • ECOG 0-3

Life expectancy:

  • Not specified

Hematopoietic:

  • Not specified

Hepatic:

  • Bilirubin no greater than 5.8 mg/dL

Renal:

  • Creatinine less than 1.7 mg/dL

Other:

  • Not pregnant
  • No clinical encephalopathy
  • No other malignancy within the past 5 years

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

  • Not specified

Chemotherapy:

  • No prior chemoembolization for HCC
  • No prior systemic chemotherapy for HCC

Endocrine therapy:

  • Not specified

Radiotherapy:

  • Not specified

Surgery:

  • See Disease Characteristics
  • No prior surgery for HCC

Other:

  • No prior percutaneous injection for HCC
04

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Masking
Double
Enrollment
300 participants (estimated)

Interventions

  • Drugmegestrol acetate
05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Survival measured weekly

Secondary outcomes

  1. Quality of life as measured by EORTC quality of life instrument monthly

06

Study locations

12 sites
  • Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University
    Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
  • Rumah Sakit Sanglah
    Denpasar, Bali 20114, Indonesia
  • St. Vincent Hospital
    Suwon, 442-060, Korea, Republic of
  • Yangon General Hospital
    Yangon, Myanmar
  • Auckland City Hospital
    Auckland, 5, New Zealand
  • Davao Doctors Hospital
    Davao City, Philippines
  • National Cancer Centre - Singapore
    Singapore, 169608, Singapore
  • Changi General Hospital
    Singapore, 529889, Singapore
  • Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital - Taipei
    Taipei, 333, Taiwan
  • Ramathibodi Hospital
    Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
  • National Cancer Institute
    Ha Noi, Vietnam
  • Cho Ray Hospital
    Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Chow PK, Machin D, Chen Y, Zhang X, Win KM, Hoang HH, Nguyen BD, Jin MY, Lobo R, Findlay M, Lim CH, Tan SB, Gandhi M, Soo KC; Asia-Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma Trials Group. Randomised double-blind trial of megestrol acetate vs placebo in treatment-naive advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Br J Cancer. 2011 Sep 27;105(7):945-52. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2011.333. Epub 2011 Aug 23. PubMed 21863030 ↗
08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00041275
Lead sponsor
National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Singapore
First posted
Jan 28, 2003
Start date
May 2002
Primary completion
Jun 2007
Completion
Aug 2011
Last update
Sep 20, 2013

Study contacts

Pierce Chow, MD, PhD, MBBS, FRCS, FAMS
study chair · National Cancer Centre, Singapore
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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