This study is to compare the safety and effects of donepezil (Aricept) for patients reporting cognitive or memory issues after receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer. Patients will receive either donepezil or placebo for 24 weeks. The primary objective is to see if memory improves with the use of donepezil during the study.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 24 weeks of exposure to drug or placebo followed by a 12 week wash-out period. Patients who meet the eligibility criteria will be stratified by age (\<50, 50-59, 60-69, ≥70) and randomized to donepezil or placebo with equal probability. A total of 276 patients will be enrolled (138 per arm). We expect an accrual rate of 7-10 participants per month based on our prior feasibility study. We expect the study to be complete within 40 months. Participants will be asked to take one 5mg tablet of donepezil or one tablet of matching placebo orally once a day for 6 weeks followed by two 5mg tablets (10mg total) of donepezil or two placebo tablets orally once a day for 18 weeks. After 24 weeks, participants will begin a 12 week wash-out period. Time points for performing study assessments. Participants will be administered the cognitive battery of tests and questionnaires at baseline, week 12, week 24 and week 36. In addition, a single vial of blood will be drawn at baseline for apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping and subsequent bioassays (pending supplemental funding).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
276
Participants will be asked to take one 5 mg tablet of donepezil daily for 6 weeks followed by two 5mg tablets daily for 18 weeks. After 24 weeks, participants will begin a 12 week wash-out period.
Participants will be asked to take one tablet of matching placebo daily for 6 weeks followed by two tablets daily for 18 weeks. After 24 weeks, participants will begin a 12 week wash-out period.
Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) - Total
Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R): The HVLT-R measures verbal learning and memory. It consists of a 12-item word list which is read to patients on three successive learning trials. Free recall scores are recorded for each learning trial. After a 20-minute interval during which patients complete other non-interfering tasks and questionnaires they are asked to recall the target words. Range is 0-36 with higher values representing better verbal learning and memory.
Time frame: Baseline, Weeks 12, 24, 36
Digit Symbol Coding Results
The digit symbol coding (DSC) test measures processing speed, working memory, visuospatial processing, and attention. The DSC test measures processing speed. It requires respondents to transcribe symbols (e.g., \>) associated with a number (0-9) into empty boxes beneath a series of randomly ordered numbers. Total score is number of correctly transcribed symbols in 2 minutes. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating higher cognitive function.
Time frame: Baseline, Weeks 12, 24, 36
PROMIS 7-item Fatigue Scale Converted to T-scale Results
This self-report scale assesses fatigue. Scale ranges from 7 to 35 converted to T-scale ranging 29.4 to 83.2 Higher scores representing more fatigue.
Time frame: Baseline, Weeks 12, 24, 36
FACT-Cognition (Version 3): Perceived Cognitive Impairment
The FACT-Cog is a patient-reported outcome (PRO) that includes subscales to measure Perceived Cognitive Impairment (PCI, n = 20 items, score range 0-80). Higher FACT-Cog PCI scores are better and indicate less cognitive impairment.
Time frame: Baseline, Weeks 12, 24, 36
Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWA) Results
The Controlled Oral Word Association Test from the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery is a verbal fluency test in which participants are asked to say as many words as possible from a given category and in a specified timeframe (typically 60 seconds). Scores are the sum of all acceptable words. Minimum is 0 with no specified maximum; higher values represent better verbal fluency.
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Harbor City, California, United States
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...and 268 more locations
Time frame: Baseline, Weeks 12, 24, 36
Trail Making Test, Parts A & B (TMT-A, TMT-B) Results
TMT Part A consists of 25 circles on a piece of paper with the numbers 1 to 25 written randomly in each. For Part A, the person is tasked with drawing a line from one circle to the next in ascending numerical order, from 1 to 25, as quickly as possible. The lines between the circles are referred to as the "trail." Range 1-300 in seconds. Lower values indicate completing task faster with less difficulty. It is a measure of executive functioning with lower values being better. TMT Part B also consists of 25 circles on a piece of paper, But, rather than all of the circles containing numbers, they contain numbers (1 to 12) and letters (A through L). For Part B, the person is tasked with connecting the circles in ascending order, alternating back and forth from numbers to letters. In other words, the "trail" would be connected like this:1-A-2-B-3-C-4-D-5-E-6-F-7-G-8-H-9-I-10-J-11-K-12-L-13. The range 1-300 seconds. Higher values indicate worse executive functioning.
Time frame: Baseline, Weeks 12, 24, 36
Digit Span Test-Backwards (DST-B)
The Digit Span Task (Backwards-Only Version) measures working memory. On each question the participant repeats the numbers in reverse order of that presented aloud by the examiner (e.g., If the examiner says "5-6", the correct response would be "6-5"; If the examiner says "5-1-7-4-2-3-8", the correct response would be "8-3-2-4-7-1-5"). Score is 0 to 16 with higher scores representing better working memory.
Time frame: Baseline, Weeks 12, 24, 36