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Published in: Trials 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Study protocol

Combining curcumin (C3-complex, Sabinsa) with standard care FOLFOX chemotherapy in patients with inoperable colorectal cancer (CUFOX): study protocol for a randomised control trial

Authors: Glen RB Irving, Chinenye OO Iwuji, Bruno Morgan, David P Berry, William P Steward, Anne Thomas, Karen Brown, Lynne M Howells

Published in: Trials | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

The need for low toxicity adjuncts to standard care chemotherapy in inoperable colorectal cancer, with potential to improve outcomes and decrease the side-effect burden, is well recognised. Addition of the low toxicity diet-derived agent, curcumin (the active ingredient of turmeric), to standard oxaliplatin-based therapy has shown promise in numerous pre-clinical studies.

Methods/Design

This study is the first to combine daily oral curcumin with standard care FOLFOX-based (5-fluorouracil, folinic acid and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients with inoperable liver metastases: the CUFOX trial. CUFOX comprises a Phase 1 dose-escalation study (3 + 3 + 3 design) to determine an acceptable target dose of curcumin with which to safely proceed to a Phase IIa open-labelled randomised controlled trial. Thirty three participants with histological or cytological confirmation of inoperable colorectal cancer will then be randomised to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy with the addition of daily oral curcumin at the target dose determined in Phase I, or to standard care oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy alone (recruiting at a ratio of 2:1).

Discussion

Primary outcome measures will be the determination of a target dose which is both safe and tolerable for long-term administration to individuals in receipt of first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for inoperable colorectal cancer. Secondary outcome measures will include observation of any changes in neuropathic side-effects of chemotherapy, improvement to progression-free or overall survival and identification of putative efficacy biomarkers in plasma.
The results will be disseminated via presentation at national and international conferences, via publication in appropriate peer-reviewed journals and via the Cancer Research UK/Department of Health Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network. This trial has full ethical and institutional approval, and commenced recruitment in February 2012.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01490996, registered 7th December 2011), European Drug Regulating Authorities (EudraCT 2011-002289-19, registered 13th May 2011), UKCRN ID#10672.
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Metadata
Title
Combining curcumin (C3-complex, Sabinsa) with standard care FOLFOX chemotherapy in patients with inoperable colorectal cancer (CUFOX): study protocol for a randomised control trial
Authors
Glen RB Irving
Chinenye OO Iwuji
Bruno Morgan
David P Berry
William P Steward
Anne Thomas
Karen Brown
Lynne M Howells
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Trials / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1745-6215
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-015-0641-1

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