Take an experimental medication to treat chemotherapy-related nerve pain

Back to Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy trials

Recruiting

What is this trial?

This trial is testing whether , a strong opioid medication, can better treat painful nerve damage caused by chemotherapy than , which is the current standard treatment. About 70% of cancer patients experience this type of nerve pain, and the available treatments don't always work well enough. Researchers want to see if this medication could offer better relief for patients who continue to suffer from this pain.

Current treatments for chemotherapy-related nerve pain provide only modest relief for many patients. This medication has shown promise in treating severe nerve pain in cancer patients, but it has never been formally studied for this specific type of pain, so researchers want to compare it to the standard treatment to see if it works better.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are 18 years old or older
you have been diagnosed with cancer and received chemotherapy known to cause nerve damage
you are experiencing nerve pain rated 3 or higher on a pain scale that has lasted at least 3 months after finishing chemotherapy
you are taking very little or no opioid pain medication (less than 60 mg morphine equivalent per day)
your doctor expects you to live at least 12 weeks

You likely don't qualify if…

you have nerve pain from a cause other than chemotherapy
you have a history of severe depression, suicidal thoughts, bipolar disorder, psychosis, or active substance or alcohol use disorder
you have significant liver or kidney disease, severe respiratory problems, or certain heart or gastrointestinal conditions
you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or unwilling to use effective birth control during the trial
you are allergic to methadone, duloxetine, or other opioid medications

What participation looks like

If you join this trial, you will be randomly assigned to take either the experimental medication or (the standard treatment) by mouth. You will visit the clinic weekly for 5 weeks as your dose is gradually adjusted to find the right amount for you. Researchers will measure your pain and how much the treatment improves your daily life and quality of life through questionnaires and interviews throughout the study.

Testing a strong pain reliever for nerve pain after chemotherapy

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(4 sites)