The efficacy of placebo for the treatment of cancer-related fatigue: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Management of Fatigue in Adult Survivors of Cancer: ASCO-Society for Integrative Oncology Guideline Update

PURPOSE

To update the ASCO guideline on the management of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in adult survivors of cancer.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary panel of medical oncology, geriatric oncology, internal medicine, psychology, psychiatry, exercise oncology, integrative medicine, behavioral oncology, nursing, and advocacy experts was convened. Guideline development involved a systematic literature review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in 2013-2023.

RESULTS

The evidence base consisted of 113 RCTs. Exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness-based programs led to improvements in CRF both during and after the completion of cancer treatment. Tai chi, qigong, and American ginseng showed benefits during treatment, whereas yoga, acupressure, and moxibustion helped to manage CRF after completion of treatment. Use of other dietary supplements did not improve CRF during or after cancer treatment. In patients at the end of life, CBT and corticosteroids showed benefits. Certainty and quality of evidence were low to moderate for CRF management interventions.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Clinicians should recommend exercise, CBT, mindfulness-based programs, and tai chi or qigong to reduce the severity of fatigue during cancer treatment. Psychoeducation and American ginseng may be recommended in adults undergoing cancer treatment. For survivors after completion of treatment, clinicians should recommend exercise, CBT, and mindfulness-based programs; in particular, CBT and mindfulness-based programs have shown efficacy for managing moderate to severe fatigue after treatment. Yoga, acupressure, and moxibustion may also be recommended. Patients at the end of life may be offered CBT and corticosteroids. Clinicians should not recommend L-carnitine, antidepressants, wakefulness agents, or routinely recommend psychostimulants to manage symptoms of CRF. There is insufficient evidence to make recommendations for or against other psychosocial, integrative, or pharmacological interventions for the management of fatigue.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/survivorship-guidelines.

Bitter ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) for patients with solid tumors with no treatment options: A pilot clinical study

INTRODUCTION

Zerumbone is a natural compound found in bitter ginger plants (Zingiber zerumbet) that shows antiproliferative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. We aimed to investigate the role of zerumbone in improving the quality of life and symptom control in cancer patients with no treatment options.

METHODS

We conducted a pilot, non-randomized, single-center, open prospective, and systematic study on the use of 400 mg of zerumbone twice a day.

RESULTS

The study included 35 patients (mean age, 68 years; 64% men), of which 16 completed the eight-week study. The intention-to-treat population showed no significant changes in weight or sleep quality over the eight-week study. Assessments performed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) showed significant improvements in the quality of life in the global (p = 0.072), activity (p = 0.0393), social (p = 0.0001), and emotional (p = 0.0023) dimensions. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire scores showed significant improvement in anxiety (p = 0.032) and depression (p = 0.021), while the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) questionnaire scores also indicated a significant improvement (p = 0.001). Bitter ginger showed low toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Bitter ginger showed promising results in improving the quality of life and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in the study population. A randomized placebo-controlled study is necessary to confirm these results. This trial was registered under the number FMABC: CAAE - 93459418.00000082, at ISRCTN (BIOMED CENTRAL) NUMBER 4388 (03/07/23) and at Plataforma Brasil (https://plataformabrasil.saude.gov.br/login.jsf).

Cancer and Non-cancer Fatigue Treated With Bupropion: A Systematic Review

CONTEXT

Fatigue is a predominant and distressing symptom in cancer and non-cancer conditions for which there is a paucity of recommendations for pharmacological interventions. Bupropion is a novel treatment whose efficacy and safety in the treatment of fatigue are unknown.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to systematically assess the evidence on the efficacy and safety of bupropion in the treatment of fatigue in people with cancer and non-cancer conditions.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and Ovid Medline databases were searched up to July 26, 2022. Studies were included if they reported bupropion as an intervention for cancer and non-cancer-related fatigue and used an objective scale to assess symptom outcomes. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies in adult patients published in English were included.

RESULTS

This review reports on seven studies (three randomized studies, three non-randomized studies, and one case series) that enrolled a total of 584 patients. Bupropion was tested in five studies for treating cancer-related fatigue and in two studies for treating fatigue in non-cancer conditions. The reviewed studies were heterogeneous in relation to the scales used to assess fatigue. Six out of seven studies reported that bupropion significantly reduced the fatigue burden without causing major adverse effects. These positive results must be taken with caution caused by the small sample sizes and low quality of the studies reviewed.

CONCLUSION

Bupropion may prove to be an effective and safe intervention for fatigue in cancer and non-cancer conditions. A high-quality randomized trial is warranted to test current preliminary results.

Meta-Analysis of Pharmacological, Nutraceutical and Phytopharmaceutical Interventions for the Treatment of Cancer Related Fatigue

Purpose: In this study we aimed to estimate the effectiveness of pharmacological, nutraceutical, and phytopharmaceutical treatments on CRF. Methods: Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Psych info, CINHAHL and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to 30 September 2021. Randomized controlled trials of pharmacological, nutraceutical and phytopharmaceutical interventions for treatment of CRF for at least one week duration and have used valid tool to assess severity of CRF as a primary or secondary outcome were considered. Results: 32 eligible studies (4896 patients) were reviewed. For the overall meta-analysis, the random effect models yielded the treatment effect (95% CI) of −0.29 (−0.48,−0.09), p < 0.001. The meta-analysis did not show significant reduction of CRF with treatment with ginseng (n = 6), guarana (n = 3), megestrol (n = 2), mistletoe (n = 3), psychostimulants (n = 14), SSRI/antidepressants (n = 2). Corticosteroids (n = 2) showed significant reduction in CRF with treatment effects of 0.94 (−1.21, −0.67), p <0.0001, respectively. Conclusions: In this study, overall meta-analysis of all studies demonstrates significant reduction of CRF using Pharmacological, Nutraceutical and Phytopharmaceutical interventions with a pooled standardized treatment effect of −0.29. Metanalysis of Corticosteroids studies showed significant reduction in CRF. Further studies are needed.

A randomized, double-blinded feasibility trial of educational materials for hiccups in chemotherapy-treated patients with cancer

PURPOSE

Chemotherapy can cause hiccups but few randomized controlled trials have focused on hiccups. This trial examined the feasibility of such research.

METHODS

This single-institution, multi-site trial used phone recruitment for patients: (1) 18 years or older, (2) able to speak/read English, (3) with a working e-mail address, (4) with hiccups 4 weeks prior to contact, and (5) with ongoing oxaliplatin or cisplatin chemotherapy. The primary outcome was feasibility. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two sets of educational materials, each of which discussed hiccups and palliative options. The experimental materials were almost identical to the standard materials but provided updated content based on the published medical literature. At 2 weeks, patients responded by phone to a 5-item verbally administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

This trial achieved its primary endpoint of recruiting 20 eligible patients within 5 months; 50 patients were recruited in 3 months. Among the 40 patients who completed the follow-up questionnaire, no statistically significant differences between arms were observed in hiccup incidence since initial contact, time spent reviewing the educational materials, and the troubling nature of hiccups. Twenty-five patients tried palliative interventions (13 in the experimental arm and 12 in the standard arm), most commonly drinking water or holding one's breath. Eleven and 10 patients, respectively, described hiccup relief after such an intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical trials for chemotherapy-induced hiccups are feasible and could address an unmet need.

Open-Label Placebo for the Treatment of Cancer-Related Fatigue in Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an open-labeled placebo (OLP) compared to a waitlist control (WL) in reducing cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in patients with advanced cancer using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, patients with fatigue ≥4/10 on Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) were randomized to OLP one tablet twice a day or WL for 7 days. On day 8, patients of both arms received a placebo for 3 weeks. Changes in FACIT-F from baseline to day 8 (primary outcome) and at day 29, were assessed. Secondary outcomes included FACT-G, Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-SF, Fatigue cluster (defined as a composite of ESAS fatigue, pain, and depression), Center for epidemiologic studies-depression, Godin leisure-time physical activity questionnaire, and global symptom evaluation.

RESULTS

A total of 84/90 (93%) patients were evaluable. The mean (SD) FACIT-F change at day 8 was 6.6 (7.6) after OLP, vs. 2.1 (9.4) after WL (P = .016). On days 15 and 29, when all patients received OLP, there was a significant improvement in CRF and no difference between arms. There was also a significant improvement in ESAS fatigue, and fatigue cluster score in the OLP arm on day 8 of the study (0.029, and 0.044, respectively). There were no significant differences in other secondary outcomes and adverse events between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Open-labeled placebo was efficacious in reducing CRF and fatigue clusters in fatigued advanced cancer patients at the end of 1 week. The improvement in fatigue was maintained for 4 weeks. Further studies are needed.

Cancer-related fatigue in patients treated with mistletoe extracts: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Cancer-related fatigue remains one of the most prevalent and distressing symptoms experienced by cancer patients. Effective treatments for cancer-related fatigue are needed. The objective of this meta-analysis is to determine the impact of mistletoe extracts as a pharmacological treatment for the management of cancer-related fatigue.

METHODS

We included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies of interventions (NRSIs) in cancer patients. Inclusion criteria were cancer-related fatigue severity or prevalence as an outcome and testing of mistletoe extracts compared to control groups. We searched Medline (EuropePMC), Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Clinicaltrials.gov, and opengrey.org through October 2020. We assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tools for RCTs and NRSIs and conducted a meta-analysis.

RESULTS

We performed one meta-analysis with 12 RCTs, including 1494 participants, and one meta-analysis with seven retrospective NRSIs, including 2668 participants. Heterogeneity between the studies was high in both meta-analyses. Most studies had a high risk of bias. A random-effects model showed for RCTs a standardized mean difference of -0.48 (95% confidence interval -0.82 to -0.14; p = 0.006) and for NRSIs an odds ratio of 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.66; p = 0.0008).

CONCLUSION

Treatment with mistletoe extracts shows a moderate effect on cancer-related fatigue of similar size to physical activity. These results need to be confirmed by more placebo-controlled trials. Future trials should investigate different treatment durations and their effect on cancer-related fatigue in post-treatment cancer survivors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This meta-analysis has been registered under the PROSPERO registration number CRD42020191967 on October 7, 2020.

Light Therapy for Cancer-Related Fatigue in (Non-)Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Simple Summary

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most frequently reported symptoms with prevalence rates of 25 to 60 percent in (non-)Hodgkin lymphoma survivors. Several (pilot) studies showed promising effects of light therapy to reduce CRF. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the short- and long-term efficacy of light therapy on CRF and associated symptoms in chronically fatigued (non-)Hodgkin lymphoma survivors. Eighty-three survivors were exposed to bright white light (intervention) and another 83 survivors were exposed to dim white light (comparison). Results showed that all participants, irrespective of light condition, reported reduced levels of fatigue after the completion of light therapy. Similar results were found for depression, sleep quality, and some aspects of quality of life. No effect was found on circadian rhythms or objectively assessed sleep. Therefore, it is important to further investigate which aspects of intervention are associated with the improvements observed after light therapy.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the short- and long-term effects of light therapy on fatigue (primary outcome) and sleep quality, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and circadian rhythms (secondary outcomes) in survivors of (non-)Hodgkin lymphoma presenting with chronic cancer-related fatigue. Methods: We randomly assigned 166 survivors (mean survival 13 years) to a bright white light intervention (BWL) or dim white light comparison (DWL) group. Measurements were completed at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), at three (T2), and nine (T3) months follow-up. A mixed-effect modeling approach was used to compare linear and non-linear effects of time between groups. Results: There were no significant differences between BWL and DWL in the reduction in fatigue over time. Both BWL and DWL significantly (p < 0.001) improved fatigue levels during the intervention followed by a slight reduction in this effect during follow-up (ES_T0-T1 = −0.71; ES_T1-T3 = 0.15). Similar results were found for depression, sleep quality, and some aspects of quality of life. Light therapy had no effect on circadian rhythms. Conclusions: BWL was not superior in reducing fatigue compared to DWL in HL and DLBCL survivors. Remarkably, the total sample showed clinically relevant and persistent improvements on fatigue not commonly seen in longitudinal observational studies in these survivors.

Fatigue in Cancer Patients in Palliative Care-A Review on Pharmacological Interventions

Simple Summary

Cancer related fatigue is a common and distressing symptom for patients with cancer during and after primary treatment, and also in the palliative phase of the disease trajectory. This review focuses on the pharmacological treatment of cancer related fatigue in patients with advanced or metastatic cancer. There are few high-quality studies performed in this setting, but both methylphenidate and corticosteroids might be used to relieve fatigue.

Abstract

Fatigue is one of the most distressing symptoms experienced by cancer patients. The suggested biological mechanism for cancer related fatigue (CRF) includes immune activation triggered by tumor tissue or by anticancer treatment but other mechanisms have also been proposed. Previous large meta-analysis of interventions on fatigue focuses mostly on patients early in the disease trajectory, with only one tenth of included studies performed in palliative cohorts. The aim of this narrative review is therefore to present a background on CRF with focus on the palliative setting. A summary of recent randomized, controlled trials on pharmacological interventions on CRF in palliative care is presented, including studies on psychostimulants, corticosteroids, testosterone and melatonin. Interestingly, in several of these studies there was a positive and similar effect on fatigue in both the intervention and the placebo arm—indicating an important placebo effect for any pharmacological treatment. In addition, studies on dietary supplements and on pharmacological complementary medicines are discussed. To conclude, the evidence is still weak for using pharmacological treatments on CRF in palliative care patients—although methylphenidate and corticosteroids might be considered.

Placebo response in trials of drug treatments for cancer-related fatigue: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

BACKGROUND

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most distressing symptoms experienced by patients. There is no gold standard treatment, although multiple drugs have been tested with little evidence of efficacy. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of these drugs have commented on the existence or size of the placebo response (PR). The objective of this systematic review was to establish the magnitude of the PR in RCTs of drugs to relieve CRF and to identify contributing factors.

METHOD

RCTs were included in which the objective was to treat CRF. A meta-analysis was conducted using the standardised mean change (SMC) between baseline and final measurement in the placebo group. To explore factors that may be associated with the PR (eg, population or drug), a meta-regression was undertaken. Risk of bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane tool.

RESULTS

From 3916 citations, 30 relevant RCTs were identified. All had limitations that increased their risk of bias. The pooled SMC in reduction in fatigue status in placebo groups was -0.23 (95% confidence intervals -0.42 to -0.04). None of the variables analysed in the meta-regression were statistically significant related to PR.

CONCLUSION

There is some evidence, based on trials with small samples, that the PR in trials testing drugs for CRF is non-trivial in size and statistically significant. We recommend that researchers planning drug studies in CRF should consider implementing alternative trial designs to better account for PR and decrease impact on the study results.