Zinc-L-Carnosine Prevents Dysphagia in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Adjuvant Radiotherapy

Study for the Evaluation of the Impact of HEPILOR on the Possible Delay in the Development of Dysphagia in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Adjuvant Radiotherapy on the Breast/Thoracic Wall and Lymph Node Drainage.

Irradiation of level III and IV draining nodes in breast cancer patients is often associated with dysphagia, requiring treatment with FANS and/or steroids. The present randomized phase III trial determined whether Zinc-L-Carnosine ( Hepilor), prevents or delays the onset of dysphagia in these patients.

. This is a randomized phase III prospective placebo-controlled trial with patients recruited from one single university teaching hospital. Inclusion criteria were: age ≥18 years, breast cancer patients who were candidates for post-operative RT by means of HeT to the breast /chest wall and SC/IC nodes (III-IV levels).Exclusion criteria were: pregnancy or lactation, known or suspected hypersensitivity or allergy to ZLC or to any of the excipients in its oral solution.

All patients were randomized by a pre-determined computer code to two groups.

1. HEPILOR arm: patients received ZLC solution
2. Placebo arm: patients received a placebo solution Toxicity was assessed weekly in all patients immediately before or after the RT session. Acute toxicity was defined as occurring during RT or in 30 days after it ended and assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE 4.0 scale). Dysphagia was assessed weekly by means of EAT 10, a self-administered questionnaire

Inclusion Criteria:

• age ≥18 years
• breast cancer patients who were candidates for post-operative RT by means of HeT to the breast /chest wall and SC/IC nodes (III-IV levels).

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnancy or lactation
• known or suspected hypersensitivity or allergy to ZLC or to any of the excipients in its oral solution.