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BRE-06: Study to Increase Tolerance to Aromatase Inhibitors for Patients With Early-Stage Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer Who Developed Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

BRE-06: Study to Increase Tolerance to Aromatase Inhibitors for Patients With Early-Stage Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer Who Developed Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Phase 1Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07596212
Enrollment
100
Registered
2026-05-19
Start date
2026-05-01
Completion date
2031-05-01
Last updated
2026-05-19

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

Conditions

Early-stage Breast Cancer, Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Carcinoma, Breast Cancer

Brief summary

This study is open to women who have early-stage breast cancer and are on aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy, and who have hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). HSDD is a persistent lack of physical desire for sex and a lack of sexual activity, or even sexual thoughts or fantasies, that causes you distress. The researchers want to determine if sexual functioning, as measured by responses on a sexual functioning questionnaire, is improved by adding Bupropion Extended Release (XL) to the AI treatment regimen. Bupropion XL is an FDA-approved medication for the treatment of major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and nicotine dependence. It has been studied in HSDD in pre- and post-menopausal healthy women, and has been demonstrated to be effective, but it has not been thoroughly studied in women with early-stage breast cancer on AI therapy.

Detailed description

Patients diagnosed with HSDD (defined as Female Sexual Function Index, or FSFI, score ≤ 26) will discontinue their current AI therapy and will be randomized to treatment with a different AI (non-steroidal AI to steroidal AI, or vice versa) plus bupropion 150 mg orally twice a day versus single-agent AI. All patients diagnosed with HSDD will be referred to counseling services and pelvic floor therapy. In addition, patients will be offered access to the Rosy App. FSFI will be administered at months 1, 3, 6, and during the year 3 visit.

Interventions

An aromatase inhibitor will be given at a duration, frequency, and dose per standard of care.

DRUGBupropion

Bupropion will be taken twice a day by mouth at 150 mg with the option to change to 300 mg daily for those with ongoing HSDD symptoms

DRUGGnRH agonist

A GnRH agonist will be administered for a duration and dose per standard of care as part of ovarian suppression therapy for those who are pre-menopausal. These will be administered subcutaneously every 28 days.

Sponsors

University of Illinois at Chicago
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Females 18 or older * Histologically-proven, resected, hormone receptor-positive (defined as estrogen receptor ≥1% and/or progesterone receptor (PgR)≥1% by immunohistochemistry at local institutions) early invasive breast cancer, stage I-III per American Joint Committee of Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition, regardless of Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2) status * Completion of the following planned cancer treatments prior to registration: * Surgical resection of breast and nodal surgery; (NOTE: Reconstructive surgery does not have to be completed) * Adjuvant radiation therapy, if needed * Neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy if needed * Treatment with anti-HER2 agents is allowed * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0, 1, or 2. * Ability to swallow oral medication. * Provide written informed consent and fill out questionnaires * Willing to return to the enrolling institution for follow-up * Women of childbearing potential must not be pregnant or breastfeeding. A negative serum or urine pregnancy test is required per institutional practice guidelines. Women of childbearing potential will be required to use effective contraception from the time of consent until 30 days after the last dose of bupropion. Acceptable methods include hormonal contraception, intrauterine device, barrier methods with spermicide, or sterilization

Exclusion criteria

* Previous bilateral oophorectomy or ovarian irradiation; pregnant or lactating at the time of randomization or desiring pregnancy within 5 years. * History of psychiatric illnesses on active treatment * History or active suicidal thoughts or behaviors * Currently taking anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, or anti-psychotic medications. History of seizure disorder * History of bulimia or anorexia nervosa * Inhibitors or inducers of CYP2B6 * Drugs metabolized by CYP2D6 * Use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) * History of hypertension, regardless of control status. * History of angle closure glaucoma * Subjects taking levodopa, amantadine, methylene blue, and linezolid * Those with a hypersensitivity to bupropion, anastrozole, letrozole, exemestane, goserelin, or leuprolide. Currently receiving any of the following cancer-directed therapies: * Radiation therapy * Systemic therapy such as chemotherapy (standard or investigational) * Anti-HER2 agents are allowed

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Tolerance of study drugs in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire DisorderUntil 3 months post-study enrollmentTo compare the tolerance of aromatase inhibitor (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) in comparison to aromatase inhibitor (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) plus bupropion. This is assessed by the proportion of patients no longer meeting HSDD criteria as reflected by FSFI \> 26 at three months post-randomization.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Disease free-survival in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire DisorderUntil 3 years post-study enrollmentTo compare the disease free survival rate of patients taking aromatase inhibitor (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) to those taking aromatase inhibitor therapy (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) plus bupropion. This is assessed by the time since treatment end to the date of disease progression, death, or least contact, whichever comes first
Overall survival in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire DisorderUntil 3 years post-study enrollmentTo compare the overall survival rate of patients taking aromatase inhibitor (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) to those taking aromatase inhibitor therapy (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) plus bupropion. This is defined as the time of treatment randomization to death or last contact in study participants.
Safety and tolerability of study drugs in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire DisorderUntil 6 months post-study enrollmentTo determine the safety and tolerability of aromatase inhibitor (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) versus aromatase inhibitor (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) and bupropion as defined by the number of adverse events using NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.
Medication adherence of study drugs in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire DisorderUntil 3 years post-treatment startTo determine the rate of medication adherence for patients taking aromatase inhibitor (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) versus aromatase inhibitor (+/- ovarian suppression therapy) and bupropion. This is defined as the number of medication diary entries and physician queries to treatment.

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTOana Danciu, MD
ocdanciu@uic.edu(312) 355-1625
CONTACTMichelle Karan
makaran2@uic.edu(224) 563-7137
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOROana Danciu, MD

University of Illinois at Chicago

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 20, 2026