L-Arginine Supplements in Treating Women Who Are Cancer Survivors

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine whether an L-arginine-based nutritional supplement (ArginMax®) improves the quality of life and sexual function in female cancer survivors. Secondary * Compare quality of life of patients treated with ArginMax® vs placebo. * Compare toxicity of these regimens in these patients. * Describe the sexual function symptom clusters (if any) in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to ECOG performance status (0 or 1 vs 2 or 3), type of malignancy (pelvic vs nonpelvic), and ovarian functional status (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients receive an oral L-arginine-based nutritional supplement (ArginMax®) twice daily. * Arm II: Patients receive oral placebo twice daily. In both arms, treatment continues for 12 weeks in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Sexual function, quality of life, and toxicity are assessed at baseline and every 4 weeks for 12 weeks. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 186 patients will be accrued for this study.