This study is designed to assess whether a drug called Saracatinib is helpful in controlling bone pain from cancer. The investigators do not know if it will be, so half of the patients in the study will receive the drug and half will get placebo. Saracatinib is a drug that has been tried in patients with many different forms of cancer. It seems to have effects in bone and so the investigators hope that it will have an effect in those with cancer that has spread to the bones.
Controlling cancer pain in cancer patients can be very difficult as not all cancers respond to radiotherapy or chemotherapy and sometimes the sideeffects of strong painkillers, like morphine, can limit the dose of drug that can be given. The investigators have some evidence that a molecule called Src is involved in the development of cancer-induced bone pain. This study will use a drug, saracatinib that targets Src and will see if giving it to patients can reduce pain from cancer in the bones. The investigators will compare saracatinib to a placebo over a 4 week period in an estimated 62 patients. The investigators will measure whether the pain that patients report is less with saracatinib than placebo. The investigators will also measure how many painkillers people are taking before and after saracatinib/placebo, if pain thresholds have changed, if pain-related symptoms and quality of life have been improved and if saracatinib has a direct effect on the rate at which cancer breaks down bone.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
12
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Is pain score lower after 4 weeks on treatment?
The primary outcome will be whether the patient's self-reported pain score is significantly lower after 4 weeks on treatment with saracatinib than after placebo.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Does analgesic drug usage decreases when patients take saracatinib?
To determine if analgesic drug usage decreases when patients take saracatinib.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Does pain increase after treatment
To determine if pain thresholds at symptomatic sites increase after treatment with saracatinib.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Does symptoms and quality of life improve after treatment?
To determine if pain-related symptoms and quality of life are improved by saracatinib using the BPI-SF, EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC BM-22 and GAPR questionnaires.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Is bone turnover further reduced by saracatinib?
To determine whether bone turnover is further reduced by saracatinib in patients already taking bisphosphonates or denosumab.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Safety of treatment
To determine the safety of saracatinib in this population by documenting adverse events and compliance.
Time frame: 4 weeks
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