Conditions: Colon Cancer Precancerous Condition Rectal Cancer
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 85
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This randomized phase II trial is studying atorvastatin calcium to see how well it works compared to oligofructose-enriched inulin, sulindac, or a placebo in preventing cancer in patients at increased risk of developing colorectal neoplasia. Chemoprevention is the use of certain drugs or substances to keep cancer from forming, growing, or coming back. The use of atorvastatin calcium, oligofructose-enriched inulin, or sulindac may stop cancer from forming in patients at increased risk of colorectal neoplasia. It is not yet known whether atorvastatin calcium, oligofructose-enriched inulin, or sulindac are more effective than a placebo in preventing cancer in patients at increased risk of developing colorectal neoplasia.

Detailed description:
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Percent change in number of rectal aberrant cryptic foci (ACF) as measured by magnification chromoendoscopy

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Screening for possible phase III testing II. Effects on proliferation (Ki67 expression) and apoptosis (caspase-3 expression) as measured by biopsy samples obtained from normal-appearing rectal mucosa at baseline and after completion of study treatment III. Correlation of endoscopic features with histologic characteristics of rectal ACF IV. Observation of the natural history of rectal ACF in patients receiving placebo V. Adverse events VI. Utilization of a biospecimen repository archive

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, partially blinded, placebo-controlled study. Patients are stratified according to history of prior surgical resection of the colon (yes vs no) and number of rectal aberrant cryptic foci (ACF) (5-9 vs \>= 10). Patients are randomized to 1 of 4 treatment arms.

ARM I: Patients receive oral atorvastatin calcium once daily.

ARM II: Patients receive oral sulindac twice daily.

ARM III (blinded arm): Patients receive oral oligofructose-enriched inulin (Raftilose Synergy 1) twice daily.

ARM IV (blinded arm): Patients receive an oral placebo twice daily.

In all arms, treatment continues for 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity.

Tissue samples are collected at baseline and at the completion of study treatment. Tissue is examined by immunohistochemistry for proliferation (Ki67) and apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3).

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed at approximately 30 days.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients receive oral atorvastatin once daily. arm 2: Patients receive oral sulindac twice daily. arm 3: Patients receive oral oligofructose-enriched inulin (Raftilose Synergy 1) twice daily. arm 4: Patients receive an oral placebo twice daily.

Interventions: intervention 1: oligofructose-enriched inulin intervention 2: sulindac intervention 3: placebo intervention 4: atorvastatin calcium intervention 5: laboratory biomarker analysis
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Given orally intervention 2: Given orally intervention 3: Given orally intervention 4: Given orally intervention 5: Correlative studies

Protocol document: