This phase II trial studies how well megestrol acetate with or without pterostilbene works in treating patients with endometrial cancer undergoing hysterectomy. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as megestrol acetate, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Pterostilbene is an antioxidant found in blueberries or grapes, and it has been shown to be effective in killing tumor cells and reducing cancer burden. It is not yet known whether giving megestrol acetate with or without pterostilbene may work better in treating patients with endometrial cancer.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. Determine the effect of megestrol acetate (MA) plus pterostilbene (PTE) versus MA alone on tumor proliferation (Ki-67) during the preoperative window in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) who are scheduled for hysterectomy. EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the effect of MA plus PTE versus MA alone on histologic response during the preoperative window in patients with EC or endometrial complex atypical hyperplasia who are scheduled for hysterectomy. II. Explore biological characteristics of tumors to determine potential biomarkers which could select for treatment eligibility in future studies. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM I: Patients receive pterostilbene orally (PO) twice daily (BID) and megestrol acetate PO BID for 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unaccepted toxicity. ARM II: Patients receive megestrol acetate PO BID for 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unaccepted toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 6 weeks.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
44
Given PO
Given PO
City of Hope Medical Center
Duarte, California, United States
Tumor Ki-67 Proliferation Index
Ki-67 represents a specific nuclear marker for cell proliferation that is measured by staining with specific antibodies by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. The Ki-67 proliferation index is defined as percent tumor cells staining positive, and measured on a continuous scale of 0-100%, with higher values indicating higher proliferation. Ki-67 hotspot values were assessed at two time-points during this study, prior to treatment with megace +/- pterostilbene (pre-treatment), and following completion of treatment (post-treatment). Descriptive statistics were used to compare treatment-associated percent change in Ki-67 proliferation index between the 2 study arms, using a 1-sided test with significance at p \< 0.05.
Time frame: Pre- and post-treatment up to 6 weeks
Histologic Response of Gland Cellularity
These histologic changes represent measures of growth and apoptosis, and will be separately scored in the pretreatment endometrial sample and the section of tumor from the hysterectomy (post-treatment sample). Gland cellularity will be assessed by counting the number of cells in one quarter of a high-power field (HPF) (average of 3 fields). The number of patients with an improvement in gland cellularity were compared between study arms.
Time frame: Up to 6 weeks
Histologic Response of Mitotic Index
These histologic changes represent measures of growth and apoptosis, and will be separately scored in the pretreatment endometrial sample and the section of tumor from the hysterectomy (post-treatment sample). The mitotic index will be calculated as the number of mitoses per HPF (average of 3 fields). The number of patients with an improvement in mitotic index were compared between study arms.
Time frame: Up to 6 weeks
Histologic Response of Metaplasia
These histologic changes represent measures of growth and apoptosis, and will be separately scored in the pretreatment endometrial sample and the section of tumor from the hysterectomy (post-treatment sample). The percentages of tumor that display squamous or mucinous metaplasia will be estimated as percentages, with \< 10% considered negative and \>= 10% as positive. The number of patients with an improvement in metaplasia were compared between study arms.
Time frame: Up to 6 weeks
Histologic Response of Eosinophilic Metaplasia
These histologic changes represent measures of growth and apoptosis, and will be separately scored in the pretreatment endometrial sample and the section of tumor from the hysterectomy (post-treatment sample). The number of patients with an improvement in eosinophilic metaplasia were compared between study arms.
Time frame: Up to 6 weeks
Immunohistochemical Expression of Bcl-2 to Assess Tumor Growth and Apoptosis
Immunohistochemistry stains with antibodies directed against Bcl-2 will be performed on pre- and post-treatment endometrial samples. Samples will be scored on a continuous scale (0-100%) using the product of the intensity of cytoplasmic staining, and the proportion of cells staining based on the distribution of staining. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the percent change in scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment between the 2 study arms.
Time frame: Pre- and post-treatment up to 6 weeks
Immunohistochemical Expression of Casp3 to Assess Tumor Growth and Apoptosis
Immunohistochemistry stains with antibodies directed against Casp3 to assess apoptosis will be performed on pre- and post-treatment endometrial samples. Samples will be scored by counting the number of positive staining nuclei per HPF. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the percent change in scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment between the 2 study arms.
Time frame: Pre- and post-treatment up to 6 weeks
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