Extended Varenicline Treatment for Smoking Among Cancer Patients

Completed · Phase 3 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Nicotine Dependence

In brief

Upwards of 33-50% of cancer patients who smoked prior to diagnosis continue to smoke following diagnosis and treatment. With medical advances in cancer care yielding a growing constituency of cancer survivors, addressing nicotine dependence in this population is a priority. While PHS guidelines recommend acute treatment durations with approved medications for tobacco use, extending the duration of treatment beyond the standard treatment duration significantly increases quit rates, reduces the risk for a relapse, and promotes recovery to abstinence following a lapse. Varenicline may be particularly effective for cancer patients given the drug's beneficial effects on affect and cognition. In this trial, 374 cancer patients will be randomized to standard varenicline treatment (12 weeks active + 12 weeks placebo) or extended varenicline treatment (24 weeks active). The investigators hypothesize that 1) Extended varenicline therapy will increase 24- and 52-week biochemically-confirmed abstinence versus standard varenicline treatment, 2) Quality of life will be rated higher in the extended therapy group versus the standard therapy group, and there will be no significant differences between groups in terms of severe side effects, and 3) Improved affect and reduced cognitive impairment will mediate the effect of extended therapy on quit rates.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT01756885
Run by: University of Pennsylvania
People needed: 207
Starts: 2013-01-01
Expected to finish: 2018-05-31
Last updated by the study team: 2019-07-30

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

18 years of age or older who self-report smoking at least 5 cigarettes (menthol and non-menthol) per day, on average, for the last 6 months.
Current cancer diagnosis (all sites) or diagnosis within the past 5 years.
Karnofsky Score of >50 or ECOG Performance Status score of <2 within 6 months of enrollment.
Able to use varenicline safely, based on a medical evaluation including medical history and physical examination, and psychiatric evaluation.
Residing in the geographic area for at least 12 months.
Women of childbearing potential (based on medical history and physical exam) must consent to use a medically accepted method of birth control (e.g., condoms and spermicide, oral contraceptive, Depo-Provera injection, contraceptive patch, tubal ligation) or abstain from sexual intercourse during the time they are taking study medication and for at least one month after the medication period ends.
Able to communicate fluently in English.
Capable of giving written informed consent, which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the combined consent/HIPAA form.

You may not qualify if…

Smoking Behavior
Current enrollment or plans to enroll in another smoking cessation program in the next 12 months.
Regular (daily) use of chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, cigars, cigarillos, or pipes.
Current use or plans to use nicotine substitutes (gum, patch, lozenge, e-cigarette) or smoking cessation treatments in the next 12 months.
Note: Once participants are found eligible for the study, they are told they should refrain from using any nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for the duration of the study. If a subject reports an isolated (non-daily) instance of NRT use during the study, they may be permitted to continue.
Alcohol/Drug Exclusion Criteria
Diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence that has been unstable in the past year.
Positive urine drug screen (for cocaine, opioids, or methamphetamines) at the Intake Session (unless taking opiate for pain management).
Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) assessment greater than or equal to 0.01 at the Intake Session.
Current alcohol consumption that exceeds 25 standard alcoholic drinks/week.
Medication Exclusion Criteria
Current use or recent discontinuation (within last 14 days) of the following medications:
Other smoking cessation medications (e.g. Zyban, Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Chantix)
a. Note: Once participants are found eligible for the study, they are instructed to only use the smoking cessation medication provided to them by the study staff. If a subject reports an isolated (non-daily) instance of using a non-study smoking cessation medication, the study physician and PI will evaluate the situation and determine if it is safe for the subject to continue participation.
Anti-psychotic medications.
Bipolar Disorder medications.
Medical Exclusion Criteria
Women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy within the next 12 months, or lactating.
History of epilepsy or seizure disorder (history of seizure requires Study Physician approval).
History of kidney disease, including transplant.
Uncontrolled hypertension (SBP >160 or DBP >100).
a. Note: If a participant presents with blood pressure greater than 160/100 at sessions occurring on Week 0 (Pre-Quit) or at any other point during the treatment period, they will not be provided with/able to continue on medication unless the study physician grants approval.
History of heart disease, stroke or MI, unstable angina, abnormal heart rhythms, or tachycardia (if stable, requires Study Physician approval).
Abnormal ECG (unless approved by Study Physician).
Any suicide risk score on MINI, current suicidal ideation on Columbia scale, or self-reported suicide attempt.

Where it is running

Northwestern University — Chicago, Illinois, United States
University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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