Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT01686126

Improving the Treatment for Women With Early Stage Cancer of the Uterus

Currently the standard treatment for early stage endometrial cancer or endometrial hyperplasia with atypia is a total hysterectomy (an operation to remove the uterus) and removal of both ovaries. While highly effective, this surgery carries significant side effects for:

* young women who still wish to have children and would lose fertility; and * women with one or more disorders (or diseases) in addition to the early stage endometrial cancer or endometrial hyperplasia with atypia and/or morbid obesity who are at risk for surgical complications making surgery unsafe.

This study will access a new approach to the treatment of endometrial cancer to spare women of having to undergo major surgery that may be unwanted or unnecessary.

Mirena is approved in Australia for contraception, to treat heavy bleeding, and to prevent thickening of the lining of the uterus (endometrial hyperplasia) during oestrogen replacement therapy (HRT). However it is not approved to treat early stage endometrial cancer or endometrial hyperplasia with atypia. This research project will test to see if Mirena is an effective treatment for early stage endometrial cancer and endometrial hyperplasia with atypia.

Metformin is approved in Australia to treat Diabetes. However it is not approved to treat early stage endometrial cancer or endometrial hyperplasia with atypia. Therefore, it is an experimental treatment for early stage endometrial cancer and endometrial hyperplasia with atypia. This means that it must be tested to see if it is an effective treatment for early stage endometrial cancer and endometrial hyperplasia with atypia.

Weight loss interventions are feasible and safe, and already being implemented by gynaecologic oncologist to make women eligible for surgery. Weight loss of 7% body weight induces a large biological effect (for example reduces incidence of diabetes by 58%, and hypertension by 26%).

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Complex Endometrial Hyperplasia With Atypia Endometrial Hyperplasia Female Urogenital Diseases Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Genital Diseases Genital Diseases, Female Grade 1 Endometrial Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma Urogenital Diseases Uterine Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia

Loading trial locations.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Females with a BMI > 30 kg/m2 wishing to retain fertility or females who are at high risk of surgical complications due to co-morbidities or obesity
  • Over 18 years of age at time of randomisation
  • Histologically confirmed complex endometrial hyperplasia with atypia or grade 1 endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma on a curette or endometrial biopsy
  • CT or MRI scan of pelvis, abdomen and chest (or chest X-Ray) suggesting the absence of extrauterine disease
  • Myometrial invasion on MRI of not more than 50%, for women with histologically confirmed Endometrial Cancer only (for women who are unable to fit into an MRI machine inclusion into trial is at investigators discretion)
  • No lymph vascular invasion on curetting or pipelle, if able to be assessed on sample
  • Serum CA125 ≤ 30 U/mL
  • No hypersensitivity or contraindications for Mirena
  • Ability to comply with endometrial biopsies at specified intervals
  • Negative serum or urine pregnancy test in pre-menopausal women and women < 2 years after the onset of menopause
  • Creatinine < 150µmol/L (1.7 mg/dL) to be randomised into Mirena + Metformin arm (can still be eligible to be randomised to Mirena only or Mirena + Weight Loss, see section 5.4 Other Eligibility Criteria Considerations)

Exclusion criteria

  • ECOG performance status > 3
  • Grade 1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium with myometrial invasion deeper than 50% on MRI or any patients with grade 2 or grade 3 endometrioid adenocarcinoma
  • Histological (cell) type other than endometrioid adenocarcinoma (sarcomas or high risk endometrial e.g. papillary serous, clear cell)
  • Pregnant or planning to become pregnant during trial period
  • Has had prior treatment or undergoing current treatment for EAC or EHA
  • Patients with a history of pelvic or abdominal radiotherapy
  • Unwilling to have additional endometrial biopsies or curettes and unable to attend three monthly clinical assessments
  • Unable to provide informed consent
  • Unable or unwilling to complete questionnaires
  • Evidence of extrauterine spread on medical imaging
  • Congenital or acquired uterine anomaly which distorts the uterine cavity
  • Acute pelvic inflammatory disease
  • Conditions associated with increased susceptibility to infections with microorganisms (e.g., AIDS, leukaemia, IV drug abuse) according to the patients Medical History
  • Genital actinomycosis
  • Current other cancer, except low grade malignancies that do not require any systemic treatment or treatment to the pelvis
  • Breastfeeding mothers
  • Mirena inserted greater than 12 weeks before randomisation/enrolment
  • Previous use of Mirena within the last 5 years from randomisation/enrolment
  • Contraindications to both Metformin and weight loss

Treatment and study plan

Levonorgestrel

Drug

Intrauterine device

Other names: Mirena

metformin

Drug

oral medication

Primary outcomes

  1. Pathological complete response

    Time frame: 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Predict the response to treatment

    Time frame: 6 months

    To predict the response to treatment through blood and tissue molecular biomarkers and to increase our molecular understanding of the biological pathogenesis of "early" EAC.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer

Other Gov

Collaborators

  • Queensland University of Technology
  • The University of Queensland

Registry information

Official study title

A Phase II Randomised Clinical Trial of Mirena® ± Metformin ± Weight Loss Intervention in Patients With Early Stage Cancer of the Endometrium

Acronym: feMMe

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2026
First posted
Sep 17, 2012
Registry last updated
Aug 28, 2024

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.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.