Characterizing Fatigue Experienced by Cancer Patients Receiving Primary Treatment and Cancer Survivors

Sponsor
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) (NIH)
Overall Status
Recruiting
CT.gov ID
NCT01231932
Collaborator
(none)
414
1

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

Background:
  • Fatigue is a common side effect of cancer and its treatment. Up to 96% of patients with cancer have fatigue. The cause of fatigue in people with cancer or those receiving treatment is poorly understood, making fatigue hard to treat. More research is necessary to understand why cancer patients experience fatigue. Previous research has shown that fatigue may be caused by a number of factors, including problems with the immune system response of the body while undergoing cancer treatment. The researchers of this study are trying to understand how the immune system and other chemicals of the body change while a person receives cancer treatment and how these changes play a role in causing fatigue. The researchers are also interested in how a person s quality of life is affected by fatigue.
Objectives:
  • To study fatigue in individuals who have cancer, are receiving cancer treatment, or have recently completed cancer treatment.
Eligibility:
  • Individuals at least 18 years of age.

  • Receiving cancer treatment, OR recently completed primary treatment for cancer (e.g., cancer survivors), OR on active surveillance for localized cancer.

Design:
  • This study involves an initial screening visit and up to three outpatient visits.

  • Participants will be screened with a medical history review (can be done virtually) and blood tests. A physical exam might also occur.

  • Participants undergoing cancer treatment that has a clear completion date, will have the following visits:

  • Before the start of treatment.

  • At the end of treatment.

  • At least 3 months after treatment ends.

  • Participants not receiving treatment, are cancer survivors, or undergoing cancer treatment that does not have a clear completion date, will have up to 3 visits:

  • Before the start of treatment or whenever you begin the study.

  • At least 3 months after your first visit.

  • At least 3 months after your second visit.

  • At each study visit, participants will complete the following tasks (some of the tasks can be done from home or virtually):

  • Questionnaires about physical activity, fatigue, depression, and quality of life (can be done at home or virtually).

  • Have blood drawn.

  • Physical activity device and journals to study how fatigue affects physical activity.

  • Optional tests:

  • Computer games testing your memory, attention, and ability to follow directions.

  • Hand grip strength test to evaluate physical strength.

  • Treatment will not be provided under this study.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase

    Detailed Description

    Although the underlying mechanisms of fatigue have been studied in several disease conditions, the etiology, mechanisms, and risk factors remain elusive, and this symptom remains poorly managed at present. Longitudinal studies related to treatment-related fatigue in cancer patients have been conducted but there are limited data showing changes in molecular mechanisms before and after cancer therapy which can identify individuals who are at risk to experience fatigue during and after therapy. Fatigue is conceptualized as a multidimensional symptom which incorporates temporal, sensory, cognitive/mental, affective/emotional, behavioral, and physiological dimensions. This prospective, observational study will explore the molecular-genetic mechanisms underlying fatigue experienced by cancer patients receiving various therapies (e.g. immune therapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy and chemotherapy).

    The primary objective of the study is to describe the changes in the self-reported fatigue experienced by cancer patients over time. The secondary objectives of this study are to (1) investigate the associations between inflammatory, neurometabolic, stress, and mitochondrial markers with fatigue intensification over time during the course of treatments, (2) determine changes in gene expression from peripheral blood samples over time during the course of treatments, (3) relate changes in the levels of these biological markers (i.e., inflammatory/metabolic/stress profiles and gene expression) to patient reported outcomes (PROs) of self-reported fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores, (4) measure cognitive functioning, skeletal muscle strength, physical activity levels and energy expenditure of patients and relate these findings with changes in PRO scores, the inflammatory/metabolic/stress profiles and gene expression, and (5) investigate the psychometric property of the Saligan-Walitt Integrated Fatigue Tool (SWIFT).

    Study Design

    Study Type:
    Observational
    Anticipated Enrollment :
    414 participants
    Observational Model:
    Cohort
    Time Perspective:
    Prospective
    Official Title:
    Characterizing Fatigue Experienced by Cancer Patients Receiving Primary Treatment and Cancer Survivors
    Actual Study Start Date :
    Feb 4, 2011

    Arms and Interventions

    Arm Intervention/Treatment
    Cancer survivors

    Individuals recently completed primary treatment for cancer

    Individuals receiving cancer treatment

    Individuals receiving cancer treatment

    Individuals with cancer

    Individuals with cancer

    Outcome Measures

    Primary Outcome Measures

    1. Self-reported fatigue [Up to 3 times throughout study]

      Self-reported fatigue

    Secondary Outcome Measures

    1. The inflammatory/metabolic/stress profile; gene expression changes; self-reported fatigue; sleep disturbance; depression; HRQOL scores; cognitive function; skeletal muscle strength; physical activity levels and energy expenditure; SWIFT scores. [Up to 3 times throughout study]

      The inflammatory/metabolic/stress profile; gene expression changes; self-reported fatigue; sleep disturbance; depression; HRQOL scores; cognitive function; skeletal muscle strength; physical activity levels and energy expenditure; SWIFT scores.

    Eligibility Criteria

    Criteria

    Ages Eligible for Study:
    18 Years and Older
    Sexes Eligible for Study:
    All
    Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
    No
    • INCLUSION CRITERIA:
    To be included, patients must meet all of the following criteria:
    • Medical documentation confirming diagnosis of:

    --Clinically localized or metastatic cancer as determined by diagnostic testing such as cytology and imaging (such as, but not limited to non-metastatic head and neck cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, renal cancer); OR Recently completed primary treatment for cancer (e.g., cancer survivors) OR on active surveillance for localized cancer;

    • Able to provide written informed consent;

    • Women and men greater than or equal to 18 years of age;

    • Fluent in one of the existing language translations for Fatigue Scale;

    • NIH employees and staff are eligible to participate.

    EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
    • Progressive or unstable disease other than cancer of any body system causing clinically significant fatigue (e.g. class IV congestive heart failure, end-stage renal disease, stage IV chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) including patients with

    • Systemic infections (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], active hepatitis);

    • Documented recent (<5 years) history of major depression, bipolar disease, psychosis, or alcohol/drug dependence/abuse;

    • Uncorrected hypothyroidism;

    • Untreated anemia;

    • Chronic inflammatory disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus).

    • Patients regularly taking antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants, since these medications cause significant fatigue.

    • NINR employees or subordinates, relatives, and/or co-workers of NINR employees/staff or study investigators.

    • Self-report of color-blindness verified by taking the Ishihara card test with scores

    14 (10 minutes) will be an exclusion from the Stroop Test. This card test will be administered only if the patient reports being color blind.

    • Severe essential hand tremor or severe hand pain (e.g., severe arthritis or severe carpel tunnel) will be an exclusion from the computerized tests and the skeletal muscle strength test.

    • Ongoing medical condition that is deemed by the Principal Investigator to interfere with the conduct or assessments of the study or safety of the participant.

    Contacts and Locations

    Locations

    Site City State Country Postal Code
    1 National Institutes of Health Clinical Center Bethesda Maryland United States 20892

    Sponsors and Collaborators

    • National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

    Investigators

    • Principal Investigator: Leorey N Saligan, C.R.N.P., National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

    Study Documents (Full-Text)

    None provided.

    More Information

    Additional Information:

    Publications

    Responsible Party:
    National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
    ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
    NCT01231932
    Other Study ID Numbers:
    • 110014
    • 11-NR-0014
    First Posted:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Last Update Posted:
    Aug 25, 2022
    Last Verified:
    May 26, 2022
    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
    No
    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
    No
    Keywords provided by National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
    Additional relevant MeSH terms:

    Study Results

    No Results Posted as of Aug 25, 2022