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A Phase 2 Trial of High-Dose Ascorbate in Glioblastoma Multiforme

Pharmacological Ascorbate Combined With Radiation and Temozolomide in Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Phase 2 Trial

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02344355
Enrollment
90
Registered
2015-01-22
Start date
2017-03-13
Completion date
2028-12-31
Last updated
2025-12-12

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Glioblastoma Multiforme

Keywords

Ascorbic Acid, temozolomide, radiation

Brief summary

This clinical trial evaluates adding high-dose ascorbate (vitamin C) to standard of care treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (a type of brain tumor) in adults. All subjects will receive high-dose ascorbate in addition to the standard treatment.

Detailed description

Standard treatment for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) involves maximum safe surgical resection followed by radiation combined with temozolomide (a chemotherapy pill you take by mouth). After radiation, patients receive additional cycles of temozolomide (adjuvant chemotherapy). Participants will: * receive high doses of intravenous (IV) ascorbate three times a week during the combined radiation and chemotherapy phase * receive high doses of intravenous (IV) ascorbate twice a week during adjuvant chemotherapy (after radiation) * complete health-related quality of life questionnaires pre-radiation, 4 weeks into radiation, 4 weeks after radiation, and then every 3 months. In addition, patients will complete neurocognitive testing pre-radiation, 4 weeks into radiation, 4 weeks after radiation, and approximately 9 months after initiating radiation therapy. The adjuvant chemotherapy portion of this study lasts for 6 months. After that is completed, participants will go back to standard therapy for their cancer. Participants will continue to have life-long follow-up for this study.

Interventions

DRUGTemozolomide

oral temozolomide (75 mg/m2), given 7 days per week, for a maximum of 49 days during radiation therapy. Starting 1 month after radiation therapy, additional temozolomide will be given as chemotherapy cycles. Each cycle is 28 days. For the first cycle, temozolomide will be administered (150 mg/m2) once per day for 5 days. If the subject tolerates the first cycle well, temozolomide will be prescribed at 200 mg/m2 for cycles 2 through 6. Each cycle is 28 days.

RADIATIONradiation therapy

Conformal radiation administered daily, M-F, to a total dose of 61.2 Gray in 34 fractions.

DRUGAscorbic Acid

Intravenous infusions of 87.5g of ascorbate administered three times weekly during radiation. After radiation, ascorbate is administered twice weekly through the end of cycle 6 of temozolomide.

Sponsors

Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
CollaboratorOTHER
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
CollaboratorNIH
Gateway for Cancer Research
CollaboratorOTHER
Bryan Allen
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Ability to understand and willingness to sign informed consent (power of attorney and/or legally authorized representatives cannot sign on behalf of the patient) * Patients must have newly diagnosed (i.e., within 5 weeks), histologically or cytologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme. * Diagnosis must be made by surgical biopsy or excision. * Therapy must begin ≤ 5 weeks after surgery or biopsy * Age ≥ 18 years * ECOG performance status 0-2. (KPS \> 50) * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1500 cells per mm3 * Platelets ≥ 100,000 per mm3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * ALT ≤ 3 times the institutional upper limit of normal * AST ≤ 3 times the institutional upper limit of normal * Tolerate one test dose (15g) of ascorbate. * Not pregnant.

Exclusion criteria

* Recurrent high grade glioma * G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) deficiency. * Patients actively receiving insulin or using a finger-stick glucometer daily for blood glucose measurements * History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to temozolomide. * Significant co-morbid central nervous system disease, including but not limited to, multiple sclerosis. * Patients who are on the following drugs and cannot have a drug substitution: warfarin, flecainide, methadone, amphetamines, quinidine, and chlorpropamide. * Known active concurrent malignancy, as determined by treating physicians. * Patients who have received prior chemotherapy (including Gliadel wafers) for the current glioma. * Prior radiation therapy to the head or neck resulting in overlap of RT fields. * Patients receiving any other investigational agents (imaging agents are acceptable) * Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection that would result in a hospital stay or delay of treatment, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements or impact patient safety. * Pregnant women. * Breastfeeding women. * Known HIV-positive individuals. High-dose ascorbate acid is a known CYP450 3A4 inducer, which results in lower serum levels of antiretroviral drugs.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall Survival (OS)monthly up to 5 years post treatmentFrom radiation day 1 until date of death from any cause.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Progression Free Survival (PFS)monthly up to 5 years post treatmentFrom radiation day 1 to documented disease progression in MRI imaging as described by the RANO criteria
Adverse Event Frequencymonthly through 7 months post-radiationCategorize and quantify using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v. 4 from radiation day 1 through 7 months post-radiation.

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Health-related Quality of Life (HRQOL)monthly for 3 months, then every 3 months up to 5 years post treatmentMeasure health-related outcomes using the validated EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) questionnaires QLQ-C30 and BN-20.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 25, 2026