Repurposing Riluzole for Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Trial

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE · Aug 28, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "Repurposing Riluzole for Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment," is investigating whether a medication called riluzole can help improve thinking and memory problems in people who have survived breast cancer. These issues, often referred to as cancer-related cognitive impairment, can occur after treatments like chemotherapy or radiation. The study is currently recruiting participants aged 18 and older who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and feel that their cognitive abilities have worsened since their diagnosis or treatment.

To participate, individuals must be able to provide informed consent and complete some questionnaires and assessments about their cognitive function. Some key points to remember are that both men and women can join, and there are certain medical conditions and treatments that may exclude someone from participating. Participants will receive either the study medication or a placebo (a non-active treatment) without knowing which they have received, allowing researchers to see how effective riluzole is in improving cognitive function. This pilot trial will help determine if future studies should be conducted on a larger scale.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• * Female and male patients diagnosed with one of the following:
• • 1. Breast cancer exposed to treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and/or other breast cancer interventions
• • 2. Non-breast cancer patients exposed to anthracyclines- or platinum-containing chemotherapy within the past 3 years
• • 3. Non-breast cancer patients exposed to other anticancer therapies within the past 3 years
• • Washout from investigational interventions is up to the discretion of the Investigator. Concurrent participation in another intervention is allowable if judged by the Principal Investigator that this would not be scientifically or medically incompatible with this study.
• • ≥18 years of age
• • Perceived by patient or investigator that cognitive function has worsened since cancer diagnosis and/or beginning of cancer treatment
• • Able to provide informed consent.
• • Literacy in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, or Spanish, to complete the questionnaires.
• • Patients must agree to complete and be able to complete the questionnaires and computerized assessments used to measure functional outcomes.
• • Note: Patients who have visual impairment or have degenerative conditions (e.g. Parkinsons's disease, etc.) can participate if they cannot complete computerized assessments, as long as they can still complete the questionnaires with assistance.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Presence of brain metastasis
• • Unwilling to undergo neuropsychological assessments necessary for the study.
• • Women who are breastfeeding, pregnant or are planning to get pregnant during the study period. Women of child-bearing potential (WOCBP) must have a negative pregnancy test at screening if there is suspicion of pregnancy.
• • a. Female patients who are considered not to be of childbearing potential must have a history of being postmenopausal (with a minimum of 1 year without menses), tubal ligation, or hysterectomy.
• • History of suspected hypersensitivity to riluzole or to any of its excipients.
• • Patients taking or planned to take medications/substances with potential drug-drug interactions: pixantrone, current smoker (defined as having smoked within the last month), abametapir, cannabis, capmatinib, lapatinib, methotrexate, and levoketoconazole.
• • Hepatic impairment as indicated by: AST or ALT ≥ 3x upper limit normal (ULN)
• • Have serious pre-existing medical conditions that, in the judgment of the investigator, would preclude participation in this study.