Mar Fan, H. G., Clemons, M., Xu, W., Chemerynsky, I., Breunis, H., Braganza, S., & Tannock, I. F. (2008). A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of the effects of d-methylphenidate on fatigue and cognitive dysfunction in women undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer, 16, 577–583.
To investigate the effects of d-methylphenidate (d-MPH) on fatigue and cognitive function in women undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer.
Patients were given 5 mg of placebo for the first chemotherapy cycle to assess for compliance and were then randomized to either d-MPH 5 mg twice daily (BID) or matched placebo. The dosage increased to 10 mg BID after one week and was taken in the morning and at noon.
The study was a randomized, controlled trial with a placebo arm.
All were measured at baseline, end of chemotherapy, and at six-month follow-up.
The difference between groups was not significant in cognitive function or fatigue.
The findings do not support the effectiveness of d-MPH at the doses given here in reducing fatigue during active treatment for breast cancer.
D-MPH cannot be suggested as an intervention to relieve cancer-related fatigue or cognitive functioning.