Phase 3
N=69
Rifaximin and Placebo in the Treatment of Bowel Dysfunction After Anterior Resection for Rectal Cancer
Rectal Cancer
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01345175 ↗Enrolled (actual)
69
Serious AEs
1.5%
Results posted
May 2024
Primary outcome: Primary: Number of Participants Who Completed MSKCC Bowel Function Instrument (BFI Score) in Patients Following Anterior Resection (AR) or Sphincter Preserving Surgery (SPS) for Rectal Cancer. — 30; 27; 6; 6 Participants
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Interventions
- Rifaximin (Drug); Placebo (Drug)
- Age
- Adult, Older Adult · 21+ yrs
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Primary completion
- Mar 2023
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Number of Participants Who Completed MSKCC Bowel Function Instrument (BFI Score) in Patients Following Anterior Resection (AR) or Sphincter Preserving Surgery (SPS) for Rectal Cancer. |
30; 27; 6; 6 | — |
| SECONDARY To Determine if Reduction in Intestinal Bacterial Quantity Correlates With Improvement in Bowel Symptoms (BFI Score). |
— | — |
| SECONDARY To Explore the Bacterial Composition of Stool Before and After Antibiotic Treatment. |
— | — |
| SECONDARY To Identify Dynamic Changes in Bowel Function During and After Antibiotic Treatment Using a Bowel Function Log. |
— | — |
| SECONDARY Efficacy of Metronidazole |
— | — |
Summary
The most common long-term problems after rectal surgery are bowel problems. These problems can include needing to pass bowel movements a lot, loose or mushy stools, inability to fully clear your bowels, and/or poor control of gas and stool. The investigators believe that a major cause of these problems is too much bacteria in the bowel and treatment with antibiotic tablets will hopefully help improve these bowel problems. In order to test this idea, the Colorectal Surgery Service of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is sponsoring a clinical trial. This trial will compare the antibiotic rifaximin and a placebo (a harmless tablet that has no effect) in the treatment of these bowel problems. Following this we will attempt to see if another antibiotic metronidazole also helps to treat these bowel problems. Both Metronidazole and rifaximin are well established drugs that have minimal side effects.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Patients with a history of rectal cancer treated with an anterior resection preformed at MSKCC (tumor at or below 12cm from anal verge) with restoration of bowel continuity ≥1 and ≤ 5 years. (Patients may also have had procedures to construct neo-rectums including j-pouch, coloplasty, and end to side anastomosis).
- Patients ≥ 21 years of age.
- Presence of anterior resection symptoms by patients own assessment. These symptoms may include any of the following: incomplete evacuation, clustering of bowel motions, frequency of bowel motions, unformed stool, excessive flatus, or incontinence of flatus and/or feces.
Exclusion Criteria
- Local recurrence of rectal cancer.
- Antibiotic treatment within the last 4 weeks for any condition.
- Pregnancy or breast feeding.
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01345175). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.