A Phase 4 interventional study of Folic Acid Tablet in Ovarian Cancer, Breast Cancer and Folic Acid Deficiency, sponsored by Rush University Medical Center. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-04.
Sponsored by Rush University Medical Center · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment
This is a study investigating folate deficiency (lack of folic acid in the blood) in patients who take the drug olaparib to treat their advanced ovarian or breast cancer.
This is a study investigating folate deficiency (lack of folic acid in the blood) in patients who take the drug olaparib to treat their advanced ovarian or breast cancer. The primary goal of this study is to determine the frequency and timing of folate deficiency, and to learn more about whether giving folic acid supplementation (vitamin) will help delay or avoid deficiency in these patients. Deficiency can cause doctors to reduce or stop treatment with olaparib. In this case, patients are not getting the best treatment for their cancer due to the unwanted side effect.
2,695 studies on the registry are indexed under Ovarian Neoplasms; 727 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 10 is below the median of 60 across 2,030 interventional studies indexed under Ovarian Neoplasms.
Browse Ovarian Neoplasms studies →Rush University Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 394 studies on the registry; 61 are open to participants now.
Of its 30 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 25 (83%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Folic Acid supplement 1 mg by mouth daily
Drug: Folic Acid Tablet
No Folic Acid supplementation.
Folic Acid 1 mg by mouth daily
Number of Participants Who Have Developed Folate Deficiency (Serum Folate Level < 7 ng/ml) on Olaparib
The number of patients with ovarian and breast cancers who were treated with olaparib and developed folate deficiency was counted.
Time frame: Serum folate levels were measured in each enrolled subject: at baseline, then every 2 weeks X 3 months, then monthly X 9 months. Accrual occurred over a 2-year period.
Timing of Folate Deficiency Development
The number of weeks between the beginning of olaparib treatment and the development of folate deficiency
Time frame: From the beginning of olaparib treatment until the development of folate deficiency
The Number of Participants Who Developed Decreased Hemoglobin by ≥ 1 g/dl Relative to Baseline
To evaluate the effect of olaparib on hemoglobin level in both arms of the study as compared to baseline before the beginning of the olaparib treatment
Time frame: Hemoglobin levels were measured in each enrolled subject: at baseline, then every 2 weeks X 3 months, then monthly X 9 months. Accrual occurred over a 2-year period.
Serum Folate
To evaluate the effect of folic acid supplementation on serum folate levels as compared to the no Folate supplementation arm. Serum folate was measured every 2 weeks for the first 3 months, and then monthly for 9 months during olaparib therapy.
Time frame: Serum folate levels were measured in each enrolled subject: at baseline, then every 2 weeks X 3 months, then monthly X 9 months. Accrual occurred over a 2-year period.
Number of Participants Requiring Blood Transfusions
The number of patients requiring blood transfusions during olaparib treatment was counted.
Time frame: Over 12 months while on olaparib therapy.
Number of Participants Requiring Olaparib Dose Interruptions
The number of subjects requiring interruptions in olaparib treatment for any reason was counted.
Time frame: Over 12 months while on olaparib therapy.
Number of Participants Requiring Olaparib Dose Reductions for Any Reason
The number of participants requiring olaparib dose reductions for any reason was counted.
Time frame: Over 12 months while on olaparib therapy.
Number of Participants Requiring Olaparib Discontinuation
The number of subjects who had their olaparib treatment discontinued was counted.
Time frame: Over 12 months while on olaparib therapy
The protocol started in August 2020 and completed in August 2022. Patients were recruited from the Gynecologic Oncology and Breast Oncology clinics at a major medical center.
| Milestone | Folic Acid | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 2 | 7 |
| Completed | 2 | 7 |
| Not completed | 0 | 0 |
The number of patients with ovarian and breast cancers who were treated with olaparib and developed folate deficiency was counted.
| Participants | Folic Acid Supplementation Arm | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Who Have Developed Folate Deficiency (Serum Folate Level < 7 ng/ml) on Olaparib | 2 | 6 |
The number of weeks between the beginning of olaparib treatment and the development of folate deficiency
| weeks | Folic Acid Supplementation | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| Timing of Folate Deficiency Development | 4 (2 to 6) | 3.4 (2 to 8) |
To evaluate the effect of olaparib on hemoglobin level in both arms of the study as compared to baseline before the beginning of the olaparib treatment
| Participants | Folic Acid | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| The Number of Participants Who Developed Decreased Hemoglobin by ≥ 1 g/dl Relative to Baseline | 1 | 2 |
To evaluate the effect of folic acid supplementation on serum folate levels as compared to the no Folate supplementation arm. Serum folate was measured every 2 weeks for the first 3 months, and then monthly for 9 months during olaparib therapy.
| ng/ml | Folic Acid Supplementation Arm | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| 2 week | 5.5 (3.6 to 7.3) | 7.7 (2.5 to 16.2) |
| 4 week | 6.5 (5.5 to 21.5) | 4.6 (2.0 to 9.2) |
| 6 week | 8.4 (7.5 to 9.3) | 7.8 (5.4 to 13.8) |
| 8 week | 3.6 (3.6 to 3.6) | 4.0 (1.7 to 6.7) |
| 10 week | 15.9 (15.9 to 15.9) | 8.1 (1.6 to 11.2) |
| 12 week | 24.1 (9.6 to 38.6) | 6.1 (4.2 to 7.6) |
| 14 weeks | 24.0 (24.0 to 24.0) | 10.5 (6.6 to 13.7) |
| 5 month | 18.5 (8.3 to 28.7) | 9.5 (3.7 to 18.4) |
| 6 month | 11.2 (3.8 to 18.7) | 5.6 (2.8 to 8.9) |
| 7 month | 10.5 (9.3 to 10.8) | 6.8 (5.0 to 8.8) |
| 8 month | 13.6 (10.5 to 16.7) | 5.8 (5.5 to 6.1) |
| 9 month | 9.1 (9.1 to 9.1) | 8.2 (8.2 to 8.2) |
| 10 month | 11.6 (8.5 to 14.7) | 7.5 (7.5 to 7.5) |
| 11 month | 5.9 (5.1 to 6.6) | 6.8 (4.3 to 9.3) |
| 12 month | 12.4 (12.4 to 12.4) | 9.3 (4.5 to 14.1) |
| 30 day follow up | 6.0 (5.2 to 6.5) | 9.3 (3.2 to 16.2) |
The number of patients requiring blood transfusions during olaparib treatment was counted.
| Participants | Folic Acid | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Requiring Blood Transfusions | 0 | 0 |
The number of subjects requiring interruptions in olaparib treatment for any reason was counted.
| Participants | Folic Acid | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Requiring Olaparib Dose Interruptions | 1 | 0 |
The number of participants requiring olaparib dose reductions for any reason was counted.
| Participants | Folic Acid | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Requiring Olaparib Dose Reductions for Any Reason | 0 | 2 |
The number of subjects who had their olaparib treatment discontinued was counted.
| Participants | Folic Acid | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Requiring Olaparib Discontinuation | 0 | 1 |
Collected over Adverse events of olaparib therapy were collected for active participants from a range of 3 - 12 months.. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folic Acid | 0/2 (0%) | 0/2 (0%) | 0/2 (0%) |
| No Supplementation | 2/7 (28.6%) | 0/7 (0%) | 2/7 (28.6%) |
| Event | Folic Acid | No Supplementation |
|---|---|---|
| FATIGUEGeneral disorders | 0/2 | 1/7 |
| NAUSEAGastrointestinal disorders | 0/2 | 1/7 |
| Age, Categorical(Participants) | Folic Acid Supplementation Group | No Supplementation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| <=18 years | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Between 18 and 65 years | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| >=65 years | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Age, Continuous(years) | Folic Acid Supplementation Group | No Supplementation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | 49 (44 to 53) | 66 (43 to 89) | 64 (43 to 89) |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | Folic Acid Supplementation Group | No Supplementation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| Male | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Folic Acid Supplementation Group | No Supplementation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants) | Folic Acid Supplementation Group | No Supplementation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Black or African American | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| White | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| More than one race | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown or Not Reported | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Region of Enrollment(participants) | Folic Acid Supplementation Group | No Supplementation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| Folate levels at baseline(ng/mL) | Folic Acid Supplementation Group | No Supplementation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 10.5 (7.3 to 13.7) | 18.6 (9.6 to 35.0) | 14.6 (7.3 to 35.0) |
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Rush University Medical Center