The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine sulfate (a type of drug commonly used to treat joint pain caused by inflammation, swelling) in reducing joint pain associated with Aromatase Inhibitor Associated Musculoskeletal Syndrome (AIMSS) for patients with breast cancer.
Aromatase Inhibitor (AI) therapy is highly effective for post-menopausal, estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer, yet the clinical effectiveness of AI therapy is limited by noncompliance and early treatment discontinuation due to musculoskeletal side effects, which include joint pain, joint stiffness, bone pain, muscle weakness, and myalgias. Methods to improve compliance to AI therapy have the potential to increase survival. This study will look at hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) with well-established anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. It is FDA-approved for the treatment of conditions characterized by chronic inflammatory joint pain similar to AIMSS. This single-arm, proof of concept study will look for an improvement in joint pain for patients undergoing standard of care treatment involving AI therapy.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
35
Drug: Hydroxychloroquine sulfate Dose: 400 mg orally once daily Duration: 12 weeks
Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
To evaluate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine
To evaluate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine 400 mg daily in reducing joint pain associated with AIMSS as measured by change in Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Average Pain score (scored from 0-10; a minimally important difference is a 2-point reduction or 30% from baseline).
Time frame: Day 1 and Week 12
Proportion of patients achieving a clinically meaningful improvement
To assess the proportion of patients achieving a clinically meaningful improvement (≥2-point reduction) in BPI Average Pain score.
Time frame: Day 1 and Week 12
Changes in BPI Worst Pain and Pain Interference scores
To evaluate changes in BPI Worst Pain and Pain Interference scores (scored from 0-10; a minimally important difference is a 2-point reduction or 30% from baseline).
Time frame: Day 1 and Week 12
Changes in endocrine therapy related quality of life
To assess changes in endocrine therapy related quality of life by FACT-ES (5 point Likert-type scale).
Time frame: Day 1 and Week 12
Changes in grip strength
To assess changes in grip strength as an objective measure of function using Jamar hand dynamometers (scale of 0-200lbs).
Time frame: Day 1 and Week 12
Patient-reported global impression of change
To evaluate patient-reported global impression of change using the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) (scale 0-6, 6 being the worst outcome).
Time frame: Week 12
Safety of hydroxychloroquine in this patient population
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To assess safety of hydroxychloroquine in this patient population using NCI CTCAE v5.0 (grade 1-5, 5 being the worst outcome).
Time frame: Day 1, Week 4, Week 12, 30 days post EOT
Tolerability of hydroxychloroquine in this patient population
To assess tolerability of hydroxychloroquine in this patient population via number of patients who completed treatment.
Time frame: Day 1, Week 4, Week 12, 30 days post EOT
Adherence to aromatase inhibitor therapy
To evaluate adherence to aromatase inhibitor therapy during the study period via number of patients who completed treatment based on self-report.
Time frame: Screening, Day 1, and Week 12