Gut Microbiome Profiles in Patients with Chemotherapy-induced Neuropathy in the RCT OzoParQT (NCT06706544).

Summary

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and debilitating side effect of chemotherapy (CT), often requiring dose reductions or treatment interruptions, which can compromise efficacy of the planned CT (limiting its efficacy). Additionally, CIPN usually decreases patients' quality of life. Unfortunately, effective treatments for CIPN are limited. Emerging evidence suggests potential benefits of rectal ozone therapy and points to a possible role of the gut microbiome in CIPN development and treatment response. This observational study, ancillary to the randomized clinical trial (RCT) OzoParQT (NCT06706544), investigates the relationship between gut microbiome composition and CIPN severity in patients receiving rectal ozone therapy. Primary Objectives: To evaluate if gut microbiome profiles differ between patients: 1. with and without symptomatic improvement of CIPN. 2. receiving rectal ozone therapy and those receiving placebo. Secondary Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between gut microbiome composition and: 1. Health-related quality of life, 2. Anxiety and depression, 3. Biochemical markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. Main Trial Endpoints. Changes from baseline at the end of ozone therapy (week 16) in: * Gut microbiome profile * Patient-reported numbness and tingling * Neuropathy severity (QLQ-CIPN20 scale) * Paresthesia toxicity grade (CTCAE v.5.0) Secondary Trial Endpoints. Changes from baseline at the end of ozone therapy (week 16) in: * Patient-reported quality of life (EQ-5D-5L questionnaire) * Quality of life (QLQ-C30 questionnaire) * Anxiety and depression levels (HADS questionnaire) * Biochemical markers of oxidative stress * Biochemical markers of inflammation Trial Design: This observational study will analyze data from patients enrolled in the randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled OzoParQT clinical trial (NCT06706544). Trial Population in the OzoParQT trial (NCT06706544): Adults (≥18 years) with any tumor type, experiencing CIPN-related paresthesias (numbness and/or tingling), with a toxicity grade ≥ 2 according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE v.5.0) for ≥ 3 months. Intervention in the OzoParQT trial (NCT06706544). All patients will receive standard care for their CIPN symptoms plus 40 sessions of rectal insufflation of an O3/O2 gas mixture over 16 weeks: * Ozone group: O3/O2 concentration increasing from 10 to 30 µg/mL * Control-placebo group: O2 only (0 µg/mL O3) Study Duration: Each patient will participate in this study (OzoParQTmicrob) for 16 weeks, concurrent with the ozone therapy intervention. The total planned project duration is 60 months.

Timeline

Start

2025-02-07

Primary completion

2029-12-31

Completion

2030-03-31

Publications

• Background Ramakrishna C, Corleto J, Ruegger PM, Logan GD, Peacock BB, Mendonca S, Yamaki S, Adamson T, Ermel R, McKemy D, Borneman J, Cantin EM. Dominant Role of the Gut Microbiota in Chemotherapy Induced Neuropathic Pain. Sci Rep. 2019 Dec 30;9(1):20324. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-56832-x.
• Background Lin B, Wang Y, Zhang P, Yuan Y, Zhang Y, Chen G. Gut microbiota regulates neuropathic pain: potential mechanisms and therapeutic strategy. J Headache Pain. 2020 Aug 17;21(1):103. doi: 10.1186/s10194-020-01170-x.
• Background Clavo B, Rodriguez-Abreu D, Galvan-Ruiz S, Federico M, Canovas-Molina A, Ramallo-Farina Y, Antonilli C, Benitez G, Fabelo H, Garcia-Lourve C, Gonzalez-Beltran D, Jorge IJ, Rodriguez-Esparragon F, Callico GM. Long-Term Effects of Ozone Treatment in Patients with Persistent Numbness and Tingling Secondary to Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy. A Retrospective Study. Integr Cancer Ther. 2025 Jan-Dec;24:15347354241307038. doi: 10.1177/15347354241307038.
• Background Bocci V, Borrelli E, Travagli V, Zanardi I. The ozone paradox: ozone is a strong oxidant as well as a medical drug. Med Res Rev. 2009 Jul;29(4):646-82. doi: 10.1002/med.20150.
• Background Bocci V, Valacchi G. Nrf2 activation as target to implement therapeutic treatments. Front Chem. 2015 Feb 2;3:4. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2015.00004. eCollection 2015.
• Background Bocci VA, Zanardi I, Travagli V. Ozone acting on human blood yields a hormetic dose-response relationship. J Transl Med. 2011 May 17;9:66. doi: 10.1186/1479-5876-9-66.
• Background Clavo B, Canovas-Molina A, Diaz-Garrido JA, Canas S, Ramallo-Farina Y, Laffite H, Federico M, Rodriguez-Abreu D, Galvan S, Garcia-Lourve C, Gonzalez-Beltran D, Carames MA, Hernandez-Fleta JL, Serrano-Aguilar P, Rodriguez-Esparragon F. Effects of ozone therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with refractory symptoms of severe diseases: a pilot study. Front Psychol. 2023 Aug 4;14:1176204. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1176204. eCollection 2023.
• Background Clavo B, Canovas-Molina A, Ramallo-Farina Y, Federico M, Rodriguez-Abreu D, Galvan S, Ribeiro I, Marques da Silva SC, Navarro M, Gonzalez-Beltran D, Diaz-Garrido JA, Cazorla-Rivero S, Rodriguez-Esparragon F, Serrano-Aguilar P. Effects of Ozone Treatment on Health-Related Quality of Life and Toxicity Induced by Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy in Symptomatic Cancer Survivors. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 13;20(2):1479. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20021479.
• Background Clavo B, Martinez-Sanchez G, Rodriguez-Esparragon F, Rodriguez-Abreu D, Galvan S, Aguiar-Bujanda D, Diaz-Garrido JA, Canas S, Torres-Mata LB, Fabelo H, Tellez T, Santana-Rodriguez N, Fernandez-Perez L, Marrero-Callico G. Modulation by Ozone Therapy of Oxidative Stress in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: The Background for a Randomized Clinical Trial. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Mar 10;22(6):2802. doi: 10.3390/ijms22062802.
• Background Clavo B, Rodriguez-Abreu D, Galvan S, Federico M, Martinez-Sanchez G, Ramallo-Farina Y, Antonelli C, Benitez G, Rey-Baltar D, Jorge IJ, Rodriguez-Esparragon F, Serrano-Aguilar P. Long-term improvement by ozone treatment in chronic pain secondary to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: A preliminary report. Front Physiol. 2022 Aug 30;13:935269. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.935269. eCollection 2022.
• Background Clavo B, Navarro M, Federico M, Borrelli E, Jorge IJ, Ribeiro I, Rodriguez-Melcon JI, Carames MA, Santana-Rodriguez N, Rodriguez-Esparragon F. Ozone Therapy in Refractory Pelvic Pain Syndromes Secondary to Cancer Treatment: A New Approach Warranting Exploration. J Palliat Med. 2021 Jan;24(1):97-102. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2019.0597. Epub 2020 May 5.
• Background Clavo B, Navarro M, Federico M, Borrelli E, Jorge IJ, Ribeiro I, Rodriguez-Melcon JI, Carames MA, Santana-Rodriguez N, Rodriguez-Esparragon F. Long-Term Results with Adjuvant Ozone Therapy in the Management of Chronic Pelvic Pain Secondary to Cancer Treatment. Pain Med. 2021 Sep 8;22(9):2138-2141. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnaa459. No abstract available.
• Background Clavo B, Rodriguez-Esparragon F, Rodriguez-Abreu D, Martinez-Sanchez G, Llontop P, Aguiar-Bujanda D, Fernandez-Perez L, Santana-Rodriguez N. Modulation of Oxidative Stress by Ozone Therapy in the Prevention and Treatment of Chemotherapy-Induced Toxicity: Review and Prospects. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Nov 26;8(12):588. doi: 10.3390/antiox8120588.
• Background Galie M, Covi V, Tabaracci G, Malatesta M. The Role of Nrf2 in the Antioxidant Cellular Response to Medical Ozone Exposure. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Aug 17;20(16):4009. doi: 10.3390/ijms20164009.
• Background Hidalgo-Tallon J, Menendez-Cepero S, Vilchez JS, Rodriguez-Lopez CM, Calandre EP. Ozone therapy as add-on treatment in fibromyalgia management by rectal insufflation: an open-label pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Mar;19(3):238-42. doi: 10.1089/acm.2011.0739. Epub 2012 Oct 9.
• Background Szklener K, Rudzinska A, Juchaniuk P, Kabala Z, Mandziuk S. Ozone in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy-Current State of Art, Possibilities, and Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 9;24(6):5279. doi: 10.3390/ijms24065279.
• Background Tricarico G, Travagli V. The Relationship between Ozone and Human Blood in the Course of a Well-Controlled, Mild, and Transitory Oxidative Eustress. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Dec 4;10(12):1946. doi: 10.3390/antiox10121946.
• Background Viebahn-Haensler R, Leon Fernandez OS. Ozone in Medicine. The Low-Dose Ozone Concept and Its Basic Biochemical Mechanisms of Action in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 23;22(15):7890. doi: 10.3390/ijms22157890.

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Indications