ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT05601700LEPREUpdated Jan 27, 2025

Letrozole for Estrogen/Progesterone Receptor Positive Low-grade Serous Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (LEPRE Trial)

A Phase 3 interventional study of Letrozole tablets and carboplatin AUC 5 and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 in Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial and Low Grade Serous Adenocarcinoma of Ovary, sponsored by Ente Ospedaliero Ospedali Galliera. Recruiting at 19 sites in Italy. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-01-27.

Sponsored by Ente Ospedaliero Ospedali Galliera · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Sep 2022; still recruiting 4 years 1 month later.
Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
132
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

This is an Italian, multicenter, randomized, open-label phase III trial which will evaluate if Letrozole is superior to standard adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with hormone receptor positive low-grade serous epithelial carcinoma of the ovary (LGSCO).

The hypothesis is that letrozole will significantly prolong median progression free survival (PFS) compared with the standard chemotherapy treatment, namely carboplatin AUC 5 and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2.

Read the detailed description

Primary objective:

To determine if letrozole is superior to standard chemotherapy in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) in the first line treatment of patients with advanced low-grade serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma positive for estrogen and/or progesterone receptors.

Secondary objectives:

  • to evaluate the response of tumor to letrozole compared with standard chemotherapy in terms of objective response rate (ORR);
  • to test the predictive effect of ER and PgR on response to letrozole in terms of PFS and ORR;
  • to evaluate the possible negative association between the effect of letrozole, in terms of PFS and ORR, and the proliferative index Ki67;
  • to evaluate the impact of letrozole compared with the impact of standard chemotherapy on patients' health related quality of life evaluated by Menopausal Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL);
  • to evaluate the impact of letrozole compared with standard chemotherapy on patients' musculoskeletal pain evaluated by Brief Pain Inventory - Short Form (BPISF);
  • to evaluate the effect on overall survival (OS). As most patients will recur and will be switched to chemotherapy and vice versa, OS is not expected to be significantly different;
  • to evaluate the safety of letrozole compared with standard chemotherapy according to CTCAE v 5.0.

Translational objectives:

  • to characterize the mutational profile and gene expression of the disease by NGS (next-generation sequencing) methodology on tissue samples;
  • to evaluate the circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) on liquid biopsies as a tool to monitor the disease response.
02

Conditions studied

  • Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial
  • Low Grade Serous Adenocarcinoma of Ovary

Keywords

  • Estrogen/progesteron receptor positive tumor
  • Letrozole
  • Aromatase Inhibitors
03

In context

Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial

797 studies on the registry are indexed under Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; 101 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 132 is above the median of 45 across 584 interventional studies indexed under Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial.

Browse Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial studies →

Lead sponsor

Ente Ospedaliero Ospedali Galliera is the lead sponsor of 19 studies on the registry; 6 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

I - 1. Age ≥ 18 years. I - 2. Newly diagnosed, low-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary including cancer of fallopian tube and peritoneum (invasive micropapillary serous carcinoma or invasive grade 1 serous carcinoma). This is to be confirmed via nuclear p53 immunohistochemistry testing by a central pathology review performed at the Coordinating Centre.

I - 3. Immunohistochemically determined positivity (≥ 10%) for ER and/or PgR expression. This is to be confirmed by centralized review.

I - 4. Patients must have undergone an upfront surgery with maximal cytoreductive effort, with either optimal or suboptimal residual disease status.

I - 5. Stage III-IV according to 2018 FIGO classification. For proper staging:

  • Patients must have undergone contrast-enhanced CT-scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis within 28 days prior to randomization. If CT-scan is not recommended (e.g. for allergy to contrast agent) MRI or 18F-FDG PET/CT-scan are allowed.
  • The imaging evaluation must be accompanied by an anamnestic and physical examination within 14 days prior to randomization.

I - 6. , defined as any of the following criteria:

  • Patients who underwent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy;
  • Monolateral salpingo-oophorectomy, amenorrhea for 12 or more consecutive months and age ≥60 years;
  • Monolateral salpingo-oophorectomy, amenorrhea for 12 or more consecutive months, age \<60 years and FSH and serum estradiol levels within the laboratory's reference ranges for post-menopausal women.

I - 7. Randomization must take place within 60 days of primary cytoreductive surgery.

I - 8. - performance status (ECOG-PS) 0-1.

I - 9. To be able to take oral medications.

I - 10. Adequate bone marrow, hepatic and renal functions as defined below:

  • (ANC) ≥ 1500/mm3
  • ≥ 100,000/mm3
  • ≥ 10.0 g/dL
  • Total ≤ 1.5 x (ULN)
  • and AST ≤ 3.0 x ULN
  • Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 x ULN
  • Albumin ≥ 2.8 g/dL
  • Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 x ULN.

I - 11. Written obtained prior to any study-specific procedure.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

E - 1. Other within the last 5 years, except for non-melanoma skin cancer adequately treated.

E - 2. chemotherapy or radiotherapy for the treatment of this disease.

E - 3. Previous hormonal therapy for the treatment of this disease.

E - 4. Known to letrozole or known hypersensitivity/intolerance to carboplatin/paclitaxel therapy.

E - 5. Active or uncontrolled systemic infection.

E - 6. Known central nervous system .

E - 7. Severe cardiac disease, such as myocardial infarction or unstable angina within 6 months prior to randomization.

E - 8. (NYHA) Class III or greater congestive heart failure.

E - 9. Neuropathy grade 2 or higher.

E - 10. History of fractures of the spine or femur not properly treated.

E - 11. Known osteoporosis (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) of the femoral neck T score of -2.5 or lower) not adequately treated with bisphosphonates or RANKL inhibitors.

E - 12. Concomitant use of inducers of (e.g. phenytoin, rifampicin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and St. John's Wort) which may reduce exposure to letrozole. Concomitant use of medicinal products with a narrow therapeutic index that are substrates for CYP2C19 (e.g. phenytoin, clopidrogel) that may have their systemic serum concentrations altered by letrozole.

E - 13. Concurrent severe medical problems or any condition that would significantly limit full compliance with the study.

Terms in these criteria, in plain language(15)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Postmenopausal

Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).

ECOG performance status

A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.

0
Fully active, no restrictions.
1
Limited in strenuous activity, but walking and able to do light work, such as housework or office work.
2
Walking and able to look after yourself, but unable to work; up and about more than half of waking hours.
3
Able to look after yourself only in part; in bed or a chair more than half of waking hours.
4
Unable to look after yourself at all; in bed or a chair all day.

Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)

The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.

It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

Bilirubin

A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.

Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.

ULN (upper limit of normal)

The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.

“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

Adjuvant and neoadjuvant

Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

NYHA class (heart failure)

The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.

I
No limits: ordinary activity causes no undue tiredness or breathlessness.
II
Slight limits: comfortable at rest, ordinary activity causes symptoms.
III
Marked limits: comfortable at rest, less than ordinary activity causes symptoms.
IV
Symptoms even at rest; any activity makes them worse.

Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.

CYP3A (CYP3A4) inhibitors and inducers

CYP3A is a group of enzymes, mainly CYP3A4, in the liver and gut that break down many medicines. Some medicines, supplements and foods (grapefruit, St John’s wort) slow them down or speed them up, which changes how much of a study drug stays in the body.

Studies list them so they can be avoided or switched; bring a list of everything you take, including supplements.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
132 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Experimental arm

    Letrozole 2.5 mg daily, per os, until progression or up to 60 months, whichever comes first

    Drug: Letrozole tablets

  • Active comparator
    Control arm

    Carboplatin AUC 5 + Paclitaxel 175 mg/mq, IV, on day 1 every 21 days, for 6-8 cycles.

    Drug: carboplatin AUC 5 and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2

Interventions

  • ATC: L02BG04

  • Drugcarboplatin AUC 5 and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2

    ATC: L01XA02 and ATC: L01CD01 respectively

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Progression-free survival (PFS)

    the time from the date of randomization to the date of local or regional relapse, distant metastasis, or death from any cause, whichever comes first. Patients not recurred, not progressed or not died while on study or patients lost to f-up will be censored at their last disease assessment date.

    Time frame: 54 months up to 84 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Objective Response Rate (ORR)

    the percentage of patients with an objective response, i.e. patients who will experience a complete response (CR), or a partial response (PR) as determined by RECIST 1.1. Each patient will be assigned the best response ever recorded during the trial.

    Time frame: 54 months up to 84 months

  2. Predictive effect of ER and PgR (% expression) on response to letrozole in terms of PFS and ORR

    the time from the date of randomization to the date of local or regional relapse, distant metastasis, or death from any cause, whichever comes first according to ER and PgR % expression.

    Time frame: 54 months up to 84 months

  3. Clinical Benefit (CB)

    the percentage of patients who will experience a CR or PR or stable disease (SD). Each patient will be assigned the best response ever recorded during the trial.

    Time frame: 54 months up to 84 months

  4. Overall survival (OS)

    the time from the date of randomization to the date of death from any cause. Patients not reported as having died at the end of the study will be censored at the date they were last known to be alive.

    Time frame: 54 months up to 84 months

  5. Safety (Adverse Events)

    Number of Participants With Treatment-Related Adverse Events as Assessed by CTCAE

    Time frame: 54 months up to 84 months

Other outcomes

  1. Translational Objective 1

    mutational and gene expression profile of the disease by means of NGS based methodology on tissue

    Time frame: 54 months up to 84 months

  2. Translational Objective 2

    PFS, OS and ORR according to androgen receptor (AR) expression

    Time frame: 54 months up to 84 months

  3. Translational Objective 3

    PFS, OS and ORR according to circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) on liquid biopsies

    Time frame: 54 months up to 84 months

07

Study locations

19 of 19 sites recruiting
  • Ospedale San Donato
    Arezzo, AR 52100, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Sabrina Del Buono, MD · Contact
  • Ospedale degli Infermi
    Ponderano, BI 13875, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Laura Zavallone, MD · Contact
  • Ospedale San Martino
    Belluno, BL 32100, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Fable Zustovich, MD · Contact
  • Fondazione Poliambulanza
    Brescia, BS 25124, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Chiara Abeni, MD · Contact
  • ASST degli Spedali Civili di Brescia
    Brescia, BS, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Germana Tognon · Contact
  • Ospedale Sant'Anna
    Como, CO 22042, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Monica Giordano, MD · Contact
  • IRST
    Meldola, FC 47014, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Ugo De Giorgi, MD · Contact
  • AOU Ferrara
    Ferrara, FE 44124, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Antonio Frassoldati, Prof. · Contact
  • Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori
    Milan, MI 20133, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Francesco Raspagliesi, Prof. · Contact
  • IEO
    Milan, MI 20141, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Nicoletta Colombo, Prof. · Contact
  • IRCCS Istituto Oncologico Veneto
    Padua, PD 35128, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Valentina Guarneri, Prof. · Contact
  • IFO Regina Elena
    Roma, RM 00144, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Paola Malaguti, MD · Contact
  • Policlinico Umberto I
    Roma, RM 00161, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Violante Di Donato · Contact
  • Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS
    Roma, RM 00168, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Domenica Lorusso, Prof. · Contact
  • IRCCS Istituto Oncologico Veneto
    Castelfranco Veneto, TV 31033, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Simona Frezzini, MD · Contact
  • Ospedale Ca' Foncello
    Treviso, TV 31100, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Grazia Artioli, MD · Contact
  • Ospedale Del Ponte
    Varese, VA 21100, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Nicoletta Donadello, MD · Contact
  • Medical Oncology Division, Ente Ospedaliero Ospedali Galliera
    Genova, 16128, Italy
    Recruiting
  • AUSL Romagna
    Rimini, Italy
    Recruiting
    • Claudia Casanova, MD · Contact
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 27, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05601700
Lead sponsor
Ente Ospedaliero Ospedali Galliera
Collaborators
Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Humanitas Hospital, Italy
Responsible party
Andrea DeCensi (Medical Oncology Director, Ente Ospedaliero Ospedali Galliera) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 1, 2022
Start date
Sep 22, 2022
Primary completion
Sep 22, 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Sep 22, 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Jan 27, 2025

Study contacts

Andrea DeCensi, Prof.
Contact
andrea.decensi@galliera.it
+39(0)105634501
Marianna Fava, PhD
Contact
marianna.fava@galliera.it
+39(0)105634580
Andrea DeCensi, MD
principal investigator · E.O.Ospedali Galliera

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Interested in this study?

Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.

Contact study team

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Studies of the drug tested here: Letrozole

Start the discussion