A Phase 3 interventional study of sulfasalazine and placebo in Diarrhea, Gastrointestinal Complications and Unspecified Adult Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific, sponsored by Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. Completed at 257 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-05-12.
Sponsored by Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology · Phase 3, Interventional, and Supportive care
RATIONALE: Sulfasalazine may relieve diarrhea in patients with cancer who are undergoing pelvic radiation therapy.
PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying sulfasalazine to see how well it works in preventing acute diarrhea in patients with cancer who are undergoing pelvic radiation therapy.
OBJECTIVES:
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to history of anterior resection of the rectum (yes vs no); total planned cumulative dosing, including boost fields of external-beam radiotherapy (4500-5350 cGy vs > 5350 cGy); and concurrent radiosensitizing fluorouracil, capecitabine, or oxaliplatin (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.
NOTE: *Patients must start study treatment by the third radiotherapy fraction.
Patients may undergo blood sample collection at baseline and then weekly during radiotherapy. All patients complete quality of life and bowel function questionnaires at baseline, weekly during radiotherapy, and at 6 weeks after completion of radiotherapy.
After completion of radiotherapy, patients are followed up at 6 weeks and at 12 and 24 months.
852 studies on the registry are indexed under Diarrhea; 78 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 87 is below the median of 136 across 713 interventional studies indexed under Diarrhea.
Browse Diarrhea studies →Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology is the lead sponsor of 499 studies on the registry; 27 are open to participants now.
Of its 6 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 6 (100%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
Planned course of pelvic radiotherapy must fall within the following parameters:
Pelvis must be encompassed by the planned radiotherapy fields
Total planned dose to the central axis midplane (for AP-PA parallel opposed fields) or isocenter (for 3- or 4-field techniques) for the pelvic field must lie between 4500-5300 cGy (inclusive)*
Planned treatment is to be given 4-5 times per week on a one-treatment-per-day basis
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
Patients receive oral sulfasalazine twice daily during radiotherapy and for 4 weeks after completion of radiotherapy.
Drug: sulfasalazine
Patients receive oral placebo twice daily during radiotherapy and for 4 weeks after completion of radiotherapy.
Other: placebo
Given orally
Given orally
Maximum Severity of Diarrhea Toxicity as Measured by the CTCAE v4.0 During and After Radiotherapy (RT)
The primary endpoint for this study is the maximal severity of diarrhea toxicity. Severity of diarrhea was graded using the terminology and grading categories defined in the NCI's Common Toxicity Criteria (CTCAE), Version 4.0. Grade 0 = None; 1=Mild; Grade 2=Moderate, Grade 3=Severe, Grade 4=Life-threatening as measured by the CTCAE version 4.0. Assessments were recorded during the course of RT and for 6 weeks following RT. The table below represents the worst graded diarrhea for each patient. A two-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test will be used to test the equality of the distributions of maximum diarrhea severity grades between the two treatment arms.
Time frame: During radiation therapy and up to 6 weeks post radiation therapy
Maximum Severity of Each Outcome Variable (Rectal Bleeding, Abdominal Cramping, Tenesmus, Constipation, and Diarrhea) Measured During and After RT
The maximal severity of each of 5 different adverse even types (Tenesmus, Abdominal Pain, Constipation, Diarrhea, and Rectal Bleeding) were collected as a secondary endpoint. Severity of the events was graded using the terminology and grading categories defined in the NCI's Common Toxicity Criteria (CTCAE), Version 4.0. Grade 0 = None; 1=Mild; Grade 2=Moderate, Grade 3=Severe, Grade 4=Life-threatening. Adverse events were assessed during the course of RT and for 6 weeks following RT. The table below represents the worst grade for each patient for each type. Two-sided chi-square tests will be used to compare each percentage variable between treatment arms for each event type.
Time frame: During radiation therapy and up to 6 weeks post radiation therapy
Area Under the Curve That Combines the Individual Severity of Diarrhea Toxicity as Measured by the CTCAE v4.0 During and After RT
For each patient, an Area Under the Curve (AUC) summary statistic will be calculated taking into account the individual severity of diarrhea toxicity over time. Severity of diarrhea was graded using the terminology and grading categories defined in the NCI's Common Toxicity Criteria (CTCAE), Version 4.0. Grade 0 = None; 1=Mild; Grade 2=Moderate, Grade 3=Severe, Grade 4=Life-threatening. The curve was constructed using weekly assessments during and after RT. A separate analysis was done during the course of RT and every week for 6 weeks following RT.
Time frame: During radiation therapy and up to 6 weeks post radiation therapy
Average Graded Severity for Tenesmus, Abdominal Pain, Constipation, Diarrhea and Hemorrhage During and After RT as Graded by CTCAE v4.0
Tenesmus, Abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea and hemorrhaging were assessed during RT and up to 6 weeks after RT. Severity of these events were graded using the terminology and grading categories defined in the NCI's Common Toxicity Criteria (CTCAE), Version 4.0. Grade 0 = None; 1=Mild; Grade 2=Moderate, Grade 3=Severe, Grade 4=Life-threatening. For each patient, an average score for each outcome variable during and after RT calculated as follows: The sum of all severity scores for that variable divided by the number of severity scores for that variable recorded for the patient during the course of RT and for 6 weeks following RT.
Time frame: During radiation therapy and up to 6 weeks post radiation therapy
Percentage of Patients in Each Arm That Experience Tenesmus, Abdominal Pain, Constipation, Diarrhea and Rectal Bleeding During and After RT
The number of patients that reported any grade 1 or higher adverse event was divided by the total number of patients evaluated. The analysis was done separately for each of the 5 outcomes and separately during RT and after RT.
Time frame: During radiation therapy and up to 6 weeks post radiation therapy
Percent of Patients in Each Arm That Recorded "Yes" to Each of Questions 2-10 on the Bowel Function Questionnaire
Questions that were used in this analysis: 2. Have you had a problem causing you to get up at night to have a bowel movement? 3. Have you had a problem causing you to lose control of your bowel movements? 4. Have you had a problem causing you to have a bowel movement within 30 minutes of a prior bowel movement? 5. Have you had to wear protective clothing or a pad in case you lost control of a bowel movement? 6. Have you had a problem causing you to be unable to tell the difference between stool and gas? 7. Have you had a problem causing you to have stools that are liquid? 1=yes 2=no q08 8. Have you found that once you feel the urge to have a bowel movement, you must do so within 15 minutes to avoid an accident? 9. Have you had cramping with a bowel movement? 10. Have you had blood in your bowel movement?
Time frame: Up to 6 weeks post radiation therapy
Percentage of Patients in Each Arm That Require Any Type of Antidiarrheal Medications.
The number of patients reporting the use of anti-diarrheal medications divided by the number of patients evaluated for this endpoint.
Time frame: Up to 24 months post radiotherapy
Percentage of Patients in Each Arm That Experience Clinically Significant Deficits in Overall Quality of Life and Fatigue
For each arm, the percentage of patients experience clinically significant deficits in overall QOL and fatigue as indicated by a score of 5 or lower on the 0-10 scale. The analysis was done using the questionnaire that was completed during the first week of radiotherapy (RT) and 6 weeks after RT.
Time frame: Up to 6 weeks post radiotherapy
| Milestone | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 44 | 43 |
| Completed | 43 | 42 |
| Not completed | 1 | 1 |
| Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject | 1 | 1 |
The primary endpoint for this study is the maximal severity of diarrhea toxicity. Severity of diarrhea was graded using the terminology and grading categories defined in the NCI's Common Toxicity Criteria (CTCAE), Version 4.0. Grade 0 = None; 1=Mild; Grade 2=Moderate, Grade 3=Severe, Grade 4=Life-threatening as measured by the CTCAE version 4.0. Assessments were recorded during the course of RT and for 6 weeks following RT. The table below represents the worst graded diarrhea for each patient. A two-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test will be used to test the equality of the distributions of maximum diarrhea severity grades between the two treatment arms.
| Participants | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 0 | 10 | 10 |
| Grade 1 | 13 | 15 |
| Grade 2 | 8 | 13 |
| Grade 3 | 10 | 4 |
| Grade 4 | 1 | 0 |
The maximal severity of each of 5 different adverse even types (Tenesmus, Abdominal Pain, Constipation, Diarrhea, and Rectal Bleeding) were collected as a secondary endpoint. Severity of the events was graded using the terminology and grading categories defined in the NCI's Common Toxicity Criteria (CTCAE), Version 4.0. Grade 0 = None; 1=Mild; Grade 2=Moderate, Grade 3=Severe, Grade 4=Life-threatening. Adverse events were assessed during the course of RT and for 6 weeks following RT. The table below represents the worst grade for each patient for each type. Two-sided chi-square tests will be used to compare each percentage variable between treatment arms for each event type.
| Participants | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Tenesmus during RT — Grade 0 | 27 | 30 |
| Tenesmus during RT — Grade 1 | 6 | 9 |
| Tenesmus during RT — Grade 2 | 7 | 3 |
| Tenesmus during RT — Grade 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Tenesmus during RT — Grade 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Tenesmus after RT — Grade 0 | 18 | 21 |
| Tenesmus after RT — Grade 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Tenesmus after RT — Grade 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Tenesmus after RT — Grade 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tenesmus after RT — Grade 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Abdominal pain during RT — Grade 0 | 22 | 26 |
| Abdominal pain during RT — Grade 1 | 14 | 12 |
| Abdominal pain during RT — Grade 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Abdominal pain during RT — Grade 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Abdominal pain during RT — Grade 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Abdominal pain after RT — Grade 0 | 17 | 24 |
| Abdominal pain after RT — Grade 1 | 8 | 2 |
| Abdominal pain after RT — Grade 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Abdominal pain after RT — Grade 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Abdominal pain after RT — Grade 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Constipation during RT — Grade 0 | 26 | 27 |
| Constipation during RT — Grade 1 | 12 | 13 |
| Constipation during RT — Grade 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Constipation during RT — Grade 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Constipation during RT — Grade 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Constipation after RT — Grade 0 | 19 | 22 |
| Constipation after RT — Grade 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Constipation after RT — Grade 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Constipation after RT — Grade 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Constipation after RT — Grade 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Diarrhea during RT — Grade 0 | 10 | 11 |
| Diarrhea during RT — Grade 1 | 13 | 14 |
| Diarrhea during RT — Grade 2 | 9 | 13 |
| Diarrhea during RT — Grade 3 | 9 | 4 |
| Diarrhea during RT — Grade 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Diarrhea after RT — Grade 0 | 11 | 14 |
| Diarrhea after RT — Grade 1 | 12 | 10 |
| Diarrhea after RT — Grade 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Diarrhea after RT — Grade 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Diarrhea after RT — Grade 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Rectal bleeding during RT — Grade 0 | 26 | 22 |
| Rectal bleeding during RT — Grade 1 | 16 | 20 |
| Rectal bleeding during RT — Grade 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Rectal bleeding during RT — Grade 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Rectal bleeding during RT — Grade 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Rectal bleeding after RT — Grade 0 | 20 | 27 |
| Rectal bleeding after RT — Grade 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Rectal bleeding after RT — Grade 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Rectal bleeding after RT — Grade 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Rectal bleeding after RT — Grade 4 | 0 | 0 |
For each patient, an Area Under the Curve (AUC) summary statistic will be calculated taking into account the individual severity of diarrhea toxicity over time. Severity of diarrhea was graded using the terminology and grading categories defined in the NCI's Common Toxicity Criteria (CTCAE), Version 4.0. Grade 0 = None; 1=Mild; Grade 2=Moderate, Grade 3=Severe, Grade 4=Life-threatening. The curve was constructed using weekly assessments during and after RT. A separate analysis was done during the course of RT and every week for 6 weeks following RT.
| grade*week | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| During RT | 4.0 ± 3.9 | 3.3 ± 3.0 |
| After RT | 1.2 ± 1.7 | 1.3 ± 2.4 |
Tenesmus, Abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea and hemorrhaging were assessed during RT and up to 6 weeks after RT. Severity of these events were graded using the terminology and grading categories defined in the NCI's Common Toxicity Criteria (CTCAE), Version 4.0. Grade 0 = None; 1=Mild; Grade 2=Moderate, Grade 3=Severe, Grade 4=Life-threatening. For each patient, an average score for each outcome variable during and after RT calculated as follows: The sum of all severity scores for that variable divided by the number of severity scores for that variable recorded for the patient during the course of RT and for 6 weeks following RT.
| Average Grade of Event | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Tenesmus during RT | 0.2 ± 0.4 | 0.1 ± 0.2 |
| Tenesmus after RT | 0.1 ± 0.2 | 0.1 ± 0.4 |
| Abdominal pain during RT | 0.3 ± 0.4 | 0.2 ± 0.3 |
| Abdominal pain after RT | 0.2 ± 0.3 | 0.2 ± 0.4 |
| Constipation during RT | 0.2 ± 0.3 | 0.2 ± 0.3 |
| Constipation after RT | 0.1 ± 0.3 | 0.1 ± 0.2 |
| Diarrhea during RT | 0.8 ± 0.7 | 0.6 ± 0.6 |
| Diarrhea after RT | 0.3 ± 0.4 | 0.3 ± 0.4 |
| Rectal bleeding during RT | 0.2 ± 0.3 | 0.2 ± 0.3 |
| Rectal bleeding after RT | 0.1 ± 0.3 | 0.1 ± 0.2 |
The number of patients that reported any grade 1 or higher adverse event was divided by the total number of patients evaluated. The analysis was done separately for each of the 5 outcomes and separately during RT and after RT.
| percentage of participants | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Tenesmus during RT | 35.7 | 28.6 |
| Tenesmus after RT | 11.9 | 19.1 |
| Abdominal pain during RT | 47.6 | 38.1 |
| Abdominal pain after RT | 19.1 | 11.9 |
| Constipation during RT | 38.1 | 35.7 |
| Constipation after RT | 14.3 | 16.7 |
| Diarrhea during RT | 76.2 | 73.8 |
| Diarrhea after RT | 33.3 | 35.7 |
| Rectal bleeding during RT | 38.1 | 47.6 |
| Rectal bleeding after RT | 11.9 | 4.8 |
Questions that were used in this analysis: 2. Have you had a problem causing you to get up at night to have a bowel movement? 3. Have you had a problem causing you to lose control of your bowel movements? 4. Have you had a problem causing you to have a bowel movement within 30 minutes of a prior bowel movement? 5. Have you had to wear protective clothing or a pad in case you lost control of a bowel movement? 6. Have you had a problem causing you to be unable to tell the difference between stool and gas? 7. Have you had a problem causing you to have stools that are liquid? 1=yes 2=no q08 8. Have you found that once you feel the urge to have a bowel movement, you must do so within 15 minutes to avoid an accident? 9. Have you had cramping with a bowel movement? 10. Have you had blood in your bowel movement?
| percentage of participants | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| During RT : Q2 | 19 | 10 |
| During RT : Q3 | 11 | 10 |
| During RT : Q4 | 33 | 33 |
| During RT : Q5 | 7 | 0 |
| During RT : Q6 | 26 | 23 |
| During RT : Q7 | 11 | 20 |
| During RT : Q8 | 44 | 43 |
| During RT : Q9 | 4 | 17 |
| During RT : Q10 | 7 | 7 |
| After RT : Q2 | 39 | 27 |
| After RT : Q3 | 24 | 22 |
| After RT : Q4 | 55 | 56 |
| After RT : Q5 | 18 | 12 |
| After RT : Q6 | 37 | 46 |
| After RT : Q7 | 37 | 37 |
| After RT : Q8 | 70 | 61 |
| After RT : Q9 | 34 | 34 |
| After RT : Q10 | 50 | 29 |
The number of patients reporting the use of anti-diarrheal medications divided by the number of patients evaluated for this endpoint.
| percentage of participants | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Patients in Each Arm That Require Any Type of Antidiarrheal Medications. | 48.7 | 28.6 |
For each arm, the percentage of patients experience clinically significant deficits in overall QOL and fatigue as indicated by a score of 5 or lower on the 0-10 scale. The analysis was done using the questionnaire that was completed during the first week of radiotherapy (RT) and 6 weeks after RT.
| percentage of participants | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| During RT | 17.9 | 7.5 |
| After RT | 26.9 | 27.6 |
Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arm I: Sulfasalazine | — | 1/43 (2.3%) | 42/43 (97.7%) |
| Arm II: Placebo | — | 2/42 (4.8%) | 40/42 (95.2%) |
| Event | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| AnemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders | 0/43 | 1/42 |
| ConstipationGastrointestinal disorders | 0/43 | 1/42 |
| Gastrointestinal disorders - Other, specifyGastrointestinal disorders | 0/43 | 1/42 |
| TenesmusGastrointestinal disorders | 0/43 | 1/42 |
| Abdominal painGastrointestinal disorders | 1/43 | 0/42 |
| Event | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders | 33/43 | 32/42 |
| Abdominal painGastrointestinal disorders | 15/43 | 22/42 |
| White blood cell decreasedInvestigations | 8/43 | 18/42 |
| AnemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders | 15/43 | 17/42 |
| Lower gastrointestinal hemorrhageGastrointestinal disorders | 17/43 | 15/42 |
| TenesmusGastrointestinal disorders | 17/43 | 16/42 |
| ConstipationGastrointestinal disorders | 15/43 | 15/42 |
| Platelet count decreasedInvestigations | 4/43 | 8/42 |
| Lymphocyte count decreasedInvestigations | 2/43 | 7/42 |
| Neutrophil count decreasedInvestigations | 4/43 | 6/42 |
Two patients in Arm I and one patient from Arm II were not included in the baseline analysis nor the endpoint analyses due to cancellations and protocol violations.
| Age, Continuous(years) | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | 59 (37 to 84) | 56.5 (37 to 81) | 58 (37 to 84) |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 15 | 18 | 33 |
| Male | 27 | 24 | 51 |
| Region of Enrollment(participants) | Arm I: Sulfasalazine | Arm II: Placebo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 42 | 42 | 84 |
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