Integrative Approaches For Cancer Survivorship 2: Project 1 (IACS2)

University of California San Francisco (UCSF)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Breast Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: Individualized Integrative Medicine Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT02897635

16-18567

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to develop and test a 12-month Integrative Medicine intervention based on Ayurvedic medicine in recent breast cancer survivors.

Full description

Cancer associated symptoms and impaired quality of life remain significant problems for patients despite advances in cancer treatment. Few effective treatment options exist for these symptoms. Integrative medicine is rising in popularity in the United States; however, few integrative medicine modalities have been rigorously studied. Ayurveda, a whole system of medicine that originated in the Indian subcontinent, has its own system of diagnostics and therapeutics, and among its strengths are wellness and prevention. The investigators aim to perform a prospective single arm clinical study of a manualized Ayurvedic approach in breast cancer survivors with impaired quality of life. Specifically, the investigators aim to refine the manualized Ayurvedic intervention; to assess feasibility; and to determine whether clinically meaningful effects can be achieved with the intervention.

Enrollment: 20 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Female breast cancer survivor who is over 1 month and less than 24 months beyond the completion of primary therapy (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy)
• Having received chemotherapy as part of their primary therapy for breast cancer
• Be in complete remission
• Aged 18 years or older
• Able to read, write, and understand English
• Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) greater than or equal to 60
• Have impaired quality of life
• Ability to give informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Having received Ayurvedic treatment within 6 months of study enrollment
• Receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy at the time of study enrollment. Anti-her2 directed therapy is not exclusionary.
• Being within 1 month (before or after) of surgery for breast cancer (including breast reconstructive surgery). Smaller surgical procedures such as implant exchange are not exclusionary.
• Patients on adjuvant hormone therapy for less than 2 months
• Have surgery for breast cancer or breast reconstructive surgery planned during the initial 6 month study period. Smaller surgical procedures such as implant exchange are not exclusionary.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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20 participants in 1 patient group

Integrative Medicine Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Study participants will attend 14 visits with an integrative medicine clinician over the course of 6 months followed by a 6 month maintenance phase. The treatment modalities employed in the study will include nutrition and lifestyle recommendations.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Individualized Integrative Medicine Intervention