Investigators are hoping to learn if glucosamine with chondroitin can help relieve joint pain/stiffness associated with aromatase inhibitors

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age >21 years
• Postmenopausal status defined as cessation of menses for >1 year or FSH >20 mIU/mL
• History of stage I, II or IIIA hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, without metastatic disease
• Currently taking a third-generation aromatase inhibitor for at least 3 months
• Clinical symptoms of knee and/or hand joint pain and/or stiffness for at least 3 months prior to study entry
• Ongoing musculoskeletal pain/stiffness in hand and/or knee joints (50 or higher on the 100 point global assessment VAS) that started or increased since initiating aromatase inhibitor therapy, and has been present for at least 3 months.
• patients must agree to refrain from use of glucosamine and chondroitin from sources outside of this study
• If taking bisphosphonates, on a stable dose for at least 3 months and tolerating the dose. Patients must agree to refrain from initiating bisphosphonate use during the course of the study.
• ECOG performance status 0-2.
• Hemoglobin A1c <8.
• Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• se of glucosamine or chondroitin within the past six months

• Concurrent medical/arthritic disease that could confound or interfere with evaluation of pain or efficacy including:

  • Inflammatory arthritis (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, spondyloarthropathy, psoriatic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica)
  • gout
  • episodes of acute monarticular arthritis clinically consistent with pseudogout
  • Paget's disease affecting the study joint
  • a history of septic arthritis or avascular necrosis or intra-articular fracture of the study joint
  • Wilson's disease
  • hemochromatosis
  • alkaptonuria
  • primary osteochondromatosis
• History of significant collateral ligament, anterior cruciate ligament or meniscal injury of the index joint requiring surgery or non-weight bearing (requiring use of crutches or cane) for more than 3 weeks (minor ligamentous injury prior to 6 months is not an exclusion).
• History of bone fracture or surgery of the afflicted knees and/or hands within 6 months prior to study entry.
• AST, ALT > 2x normal.
• Serum Creatinine of > 1.8 mg/dl.
• Uncontrolled hypertension (Systolic Blood Pressure of > 150 mm Hg or Diastolic Blood Pressure of >95 mm Hg).
• Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, defined as Hemoglobin A1c level of > 8%.