Trial of Quercetin in the Treatment and Prevention of Chemotherapy-induced Neuropathic Pain in Cancer Patients

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn about the effectiveness of quercetin in treating and preventing CINP. Researchers also want to learn if quercetin has an effect on participant's quality of life.

Study Product Administration:

If participant is found to be eligible to take part in this study, participant will take quercetin tablets by mouth 2 times every day for 12 weeks. The study staff will give participant the tablets and additional instructions on how to take the study product.

Length of Participation:

Participant may take quercetin for up to 12 weeks. Participant will no longer be able to take quercetin if the pain symptoms gets worse, if intolerable side effects occur, or if participant is unable to follow study directions.

Study Visits:

Every week, participant will either come to the clinic or a member of the staff will call participant to learn how participant is doing, if participant has had any side effects, and to check that participant is taking quercetin correctly. Participant will also complete a questionnaire about any pain symptoms participant may be having. The call/questionnaire should take about 10-15 minutes to complete.

End-of-Study Visit:

About 7 days after participant's last dose of quercetin, participant will complete the same questionnaires participant completed at screening.

Participation in this study will be over after the end-of-study visit.

This is an investigational study. Quercetin is commercially available as a supplement, but it is not FDA approved.The study doctor can explain how the study product is designed to work.

Up to 20 participants will be enrolled in this study. All will take part at MD Anderson.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients \> 18 years old.
2. Patients starting, undergoing or completed chemotherapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center
3. Any cancer patients who received any of the chemotherapeutic agents listed below and developed neuropathic pain for the treatment cohort; or any cancer patients who have been scheduled to receive any of the chemotherapeutic agents listed below for the preventive cohort. The chemotherapeutic agents include 1) taxanes (paclitaxel, docetaxel), 2) vinca alkaloids (vincristine, vinblastine), 3) platinum agents (cisplatin, carboplatin, oxaliplatin), and 4) others (thalidomide, bortezomib, lenalidomide).
4. Patients have neuropathic pain intensity of at least 4/10 on numeric rating score (NRS, 0/10 being no pain and 10/10 excruciating pain) for the treatment cohort; or 0/10 on NRS for the preventive cohort.
5. Patients are on stable dose of any medication
6. Patients followed at the Pain Medicine department. Patients with normal renal function (Normal values, BUN (blood urea nitrogen): 8 to 20 mg/dL, Creatinine: 0.7 to 1.3 mg/dL).
7. Patients able to speak English.
8. Patients able to review, understand, and provide written consent.
9. Patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology performance (ECOG) status of 0-2.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Renal impairment.
2. Pregnancy.
3. Hypersensitivity reaction, anaphylaxis, or any other serious adverse reaction to quercetin or product components.
4. Patients who are enrolled in another Pain Medicine trial.
5. Patients with malabsorption syndrome or resection of the stomach or small bowel.
6. Patients with any condition that precludes use of the study medication as determined by the treating physician.
7. Patients taking Quercetin for other medical reasons.
8. Patients taking Digoxin.