EMBr Wave for the Reduction of Hot Flashes in Women With a History of Breast Cancer

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center50 enrolled

Overview

This trial studies how well EMBr Wave technology works in reducing hot flashes in women with a history of breast cancer. Hot flashes are a common symptom experienced by menopausal women. The standard treatment for hot flashes is hormone replacement therapy, however hormone replacement therapy cannot be used in women with a history of, or active, breast cancer. EMBr Wave is a personal heating and cooling device worn on the wrist. EMBr Wave may help reduce hot flash severity in women with a history of breast cancer.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To evaluate the feasibility of using EMBr Wave technology in women with a history of breast cancer who are experiencing bothersome hot flashes. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the preliminary efficacy of EMBr Wave in reducing hot flash severity and frequency in women with a history of breast cancer. II. To identify in what ways EMBr Wave has the greatest potential efficacy, such as reduction in vasomotor symptoms (VMS) severity, frequency, duration, sense of control, or self-esteem. III. To estimate effect sizes to inform power calculations for a future phase III trial. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM A: Patients utilize the EMBr Wave device for 4 weeks, then crossover to arm B for 4 weeks. ARM B: Patients receive no treatment for 4 weeks, then crossover to arm A for 4 weeks.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Breast Carcinoma

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Women with history of breast cancer, ductal breast carcinoma in situ (DCIS), or lobular breast carcinoma in situ (LCIS) (currently without evidence of malignant disease) * Bothersome hot flashes (defined by their occurrence of \>= 28 times per week and of sufficient severity to prompt the patient to seek therapeutic intervention) * Presence of hot flashes for \> 30 days prior to study entry * Ability to complete questionnaire(s) by themselves or with assistance * Willingness to wear EMBr Wave device during the study period * Willingness to use the EMBr Wave mobile application * Have a working smartphone that can download the EMBr Wave mobile application (iPhone 6 or more recent generation, Android 8.0 or more recent generation) * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) = 0, 1 * Ability to provide informed written consent * Life expectancy \>= 6 months Exclusion Criteria: * Antineoplastic chemotherapy (anti-HER2 agents allowed) (current \[=\< 4 weeks prior\] or planned therapy) * Androgens (current \[=\< 4 weeks prior\] or planned therapy) * Systemic estrogens. Local vaginal estrogen preparations are allowed, but need to have been initiated for vulvo-vaginal atrophy at least 28 days prior, and must not be expected to stop or change the dose or frequency of the medication during the study period (current \[=\< 4 weeks prior\] or planned therapy) * Progestogens (current \[=\< 4 weeks prior\] or planned therapy) * Tamoxifen, raloxifene and aromatase inhibitors are allowed, but patient must have been on a constant dose for at least 28 days and must not be expected to stop the medication during the study period (current \[=\< 4 weeks prior\] or planned therapy) * Selective serotonin reuptate inhibitors (SSRIs)/serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRIs), when being used for hot flash management or other indications such as depression, is allowed, assuming the dose will remain unchanged for the study duration (current \[=\< 4 weeks prior\] or planned therapy) * Gabapentin/pregabalin, when being used for hot flash management (use for other indications, such as pain, is allowed, assuming the dose will remain unchanged for the study duration) (current \[=\< 4 weeks prior\] or planned therapy) * Clonidine (current \[=\< 4 weeks prior\] or planned therapy) * Prior use of EMBr Wave * Nickel allergy * Pregnant or nursing women since the safety of device has not been established in this population

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Device Usage

Feasibility will be evaluated primarily with respect to device usage. The proportion of patients who wear the device for at least 8 hours between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm for at least 22 days will be estimated using the entire sample and a 95% Jeffreys interval for binomial proportions will be computed.

Time frame: Up to 8 weeks

Patient Satisfaction

Feasibility will be evaluated secondarily with respect to patient satisfaction. The mean patient satisfaction scores for each Likert-type question and proportion of patients reporting satisfaction scores at or above 7 will be estimated in the entire sample and compared between sequence groups at the 5% significance level (two-sided).Rated on a 10-point Likert scale with 10 being most satisfied or most effective.

Time frame: At 8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Effect of EMBr Wave Using Hot Flash-Related Daily Interference Scale (HFRDIS)

Reported via patient reported outcomes, primarily Hot Flash-Related Daily Interference Scale (HFRDIS), a scale of 0-10 with 0 being no interference (best outcome) and 10 being completely interfere (worst outcome). Survey administered on paper or via RedCap survey distribution at week 4 and week 8.

Time frame: At week 4 and at week 8