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NCT Number: NCT07596212

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

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.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1 / Phase 2

Primary location

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

Aromatase Inhibitors

Drug

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

Other names: Letrozole, Anastrozole, Exemestane

bupropion

Drug

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

Other names: Wellbutrin, Zyban

GnRH agonist

Drug

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.

Other names: Leuprolide, Goserelin

Primary outcomes

  1. Tolerance of study drugs in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

    Time frame: Until 3 months post-study enrollment

    To 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 outcomes

  1. Disease free-survival in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

    Time frame: Until 3 years post-study enrollment

    To 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

  2. Overall survival in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

    Time frame: Until 3 years post-study enrollment

    To 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.

  3. Safety and tolerability of study drugs in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

    Time frame: Until 6 months post-study enrollment

    To 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.

  4. Medication adherence of study drugs in patients with early stage breast cancer and Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

    Time frame: Until 3 years post-treatment start

    To 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.

Other outcomes

  1. Prevalence and response to treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in patients with early stage breast cancer across different racial groups

    Time frame: Until 3 years post-treatment start

    Prevalence of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder among different racial groups will be assessed by the number of of early breast cancer patients with HSDD who are African-American, Caucasian, and Hispanic while the response to treatment across racial groups will be calculated by the overall decrease in FSFI score for the groups.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Michelle Karan

CONTACT

[email protected]

(224) 563-7137

Oana Danciu, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

(312) 355-1625

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Illinois at Chicago

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2031
First posted
May 19, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 18, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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