Conditions: Malignant Glioma
Keywords: fatigue external beam radiation EBRT radiation therapy placebo cognitive function TMZ Temozolomide
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 6
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to determine if Nuvigil® improves fatigue experienced by people receiving external beam radiation therapy for the treatment of malignant gliomas. It is also being done to determine if Nuvigil® improves cognitive function (perception, thinking, reasoning, and remembering) and overall quality of life in people receiving external beam radiation therapy for the treatment of malignant gliomas. Another purpose of this study is to see if people who receive Nuvigil® have more or less side effects than people who receive placebo. Placebo is a substance that looks like an active drug but has no active ingredient.

Detailed description:
Study visit times will correspond with standard follow-up evaluations for the patient's malignant glioma.

Study visits will occur at baseline (Week 0); Week 7, which is when patients stop their use of study drug and their first round of external beam radiation therapy and temozolomide; and at Weeks 10, 18, and 34.

The Week 7 evaluation will include: neuropsychological exam, Psychosocial Questionnaires, and questions about the patient's medications and health.

The Week 10 and 18 evaluations will include: vital sign measurements, Karnofsky Performance status rating, neurological and neuropsychological exams, psychosocial questionnaires, an Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the patient's brain, and questions about their medications and health.

The Week 34 evaluation will include: vital sign measurements, Karnofsky Performance status rating, neurological and neuropsychological exams, psychosocial questionnaires, and questions about the patient's medications and health.

Arms:
arm 1: Study evaluation times correspond to standard follow-up evaluations for newly diagnosed malignant glioma patients. After 6 weeks of concurrent External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) and Temozolomide (TMZ), there is typically a 4 week treatment break prior to the start of the 6 monthly cycles of TMZ. No further placebo or Nuvigil® will be given after the 6 week treatment regimen. Thus, study evaluations will occur at baseline (Week 0), immediately after completion of EBRT, TMZ, and Nuvigil® or placebo (Week 7), at the end of the 4 week washout period (Week 10), after the first 2 cycles of TMZ (Week 18), and after the 6th cycle of TMZ (Week 34). arm 2: Study evaluation times correspond to standard follow-up evaluations for newly diagnosed malignant glioma patients. After 6 weeks of concurrent EBRT and TMZ, there is typically a 4 week treatment break prior to the start of the 6 monthly cycles of TMZ. No further placebo or Nuvigil® will be given after the 6 week treatment regimen. Thus, study evaluations will occur at baseline (Week 0), immediately after completion of EBRT, TMZ, and Nuvigil® or placebo (Week 7), at the end of the 4 week washout period (Week 10), after the first 2 cycles of TMZ (Week 18), and after the 6th cycle of TMZ (Week 34).

Interventions: intervention 1: Nuvigil® intervention 2: Placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Nuvigil® 150 mg/day x 42 days THEN, No More Drug intervention 2: Placebo x 42 days; THEN, No More Placebo

Protocol document: