Anorexia, Cancer, Olfactory Disorders, Taste Disorders
Conditions
Keywords
cannabinoids, taste disorders, olfaction disorders, cancer, palliative medicine, caloric intake, appetite, reward, tetrahydrocannabinol/therapeutic use, anorexia/drug therapy, quality of life, chemosensory changes/drug therapy
Brief summary
To investigate delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol's (THC) ability to increase food intake and improve food enjoyment for advanced cancer patients with taste and/or smell (chemosensory) abnormalities.
Detailed description
Appetite stimulants are the common treatment for cancer-induced anorexia. However, only 30% of advanced cancer patients respond and benefit from appetite stimulants, which may be due in part to sensory abnormalities, as a person who is experiencing food aversion due to taste and smell changes may be unable to respond to these agents. Of the appetite stimulants available for use in clinical practice only Marinol, or THC, has the potential to increase food intake by improving appetite as well as by amplifying the taste of food through the brain's reward pathway. A 22-day, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial will be conducted. Participants will start at 2.5mg of THC or placebo once daily for the first 3 days and then increase to 2.5mg of THC or placebo twice daily before lunch and supper. Participant's will complete the following survey tools pre and post-treatment: Taste and Smell Survey to assess the severity and change in chemosensory complaint scores; 3-day dietary record to determine the change in caloric intake and shift in food preference by macronutrient analysis; 24-hour urine collections to validate the 3-day dietary record; Satiety Labelled Intensity Magnitude scale for subjective appetite ratings; Food Preference Checklist to assess objective shifts in macronutrient and flavor preferences; Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy questionnaire to assess participant's QOL; interview to determine the cause and effects of chemosensory alterations; Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale to assess nausea; and Side Effect Survey to document the tolerability of the drug (post-treatment only). Participants will complete the survey tools with the aid of the researcher. All tools are short and easy to complete, which minimizes patient burden.
Interventions
Intervention description: Marinol (drug) is being used as an appetite stimulant for treatment of cancer-induced anorexia.
OTHERPlacebo
Sponsors
University of Alberta
Alberta Health services
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* advanced cancer patients (defined as locally recurrent or metastatic) over 18 years old with a decreased food intake for at least 2 weeks (reported by physician or subject) * able to complete questionnaires in English * able to provide informed consent * life expectancy of greater than 2 months (as determined by physician) * chemosensory complaint score \> 1
Exclusion criteria
* receiving enteral or parenteral feedings * allergies or sensitivity to THC and/or sesame seed oil * history of substance abuse or psychotic episodes * mechanical obstruction of alimentary tract, mouth or nose * received chemotherapy in the last 2 weeks * received radiation therapy to the head/neck area * brain tumor * nausea score greater than 5 on ESAS * history of tachyarrhythmias, angina pectoris or hypertension * current diagnosis of liver impairment * use of marijuana within 30 days prior to start of trial
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Total caloric intake | 22 days |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| self-perceived chemosensory ability | 22 days |
| palatable food intake | 22 days |
| self-perceived appetite | 22 days |
| changes in nausea | 22 days |
| safety and tolerability | 22 days |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed