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CancerNCT00769301

Symptom Clusters in Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers- a Longitudinal Study

An observational study of Cancer and Pain, run by Oslo University Hospital at 3 sites in Norway.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The complexity of cancer patients' symptoms and health problems constitutes considerable distress and burden for patients and their family caregivers. To help them manage the illness effectively, there is a need to better understand the complexity of symptoms and symptom clusters in patients and caregivers. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Cancer, Pain, Fatigue
How many people
570 participants
Where
3 sitesNorway
Study dates
Nov 2008to Dec 2011
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: 500 cancer outpatients (125 with breast cancer and 125 with head and neck cancer receiving radiation therapy and 125 ovarian cancer patients and 125 colon cancer patients receiving chemotherapy) and their caregivers

Who may be able to join

  • diagnosed with breast, colon, head and neck or ovarian cancer
  • receiving active treatment for their cancer (chemo- or radiation therapy)
  • above 18 years of age
  • able to read / write /speak Norwegian.
  • above 18 years
  • read and speak Norwegian
  • and written informed consent.

Who cannot join

  • patients who had received radiation on the brain as this may affect their abilities to reliably complete questionnaires.

Trial locations and contacts

3 sites in 1 country.

Norway3 sites
  • Sykehuset Østfold

    Fredrikstad, 1603

  • Oslo University Hopsital, Rikshospitalet

    Oslo, 0027

  • Rikshospitalet

    Oslo, 0027

Other trials in Norway

About this study

Official title: Advancing the Science of Symptom Management and Support for Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers

The complexity of cancer patients' symptoms and health problems constitutes considerable distress and burden for patients and their family caregivers. To help them manage the illness effectively, there is a need to better understand the complexity of symptoms and symptom clusters in patients and caregivers. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to explore a set of important fundamental research questions to advance the scientific knowledge of cancer patients' and caregivers' symptoms, symptom clusters and health-related quality of life. The investigators will follow 500 cancer patients and their caregivers with repeated measures over 6 months to assess their symptoms, symptom clusters, and quality of life over time. Caregiver burden will also be examined in the caregivers.

Read the detailed description

The specific aims of the study, where we will follow 500 cancer patients and their caregivers with repeated measures over 6 months, are to:

  1. Explore cancer patients' symptoms, symptom clusters and symptom changes over time; and identify subgroups of patients with different symptom clusters.
  2. Identify genomic markers for the different patient subgroups.
  3. Explore symptoms, symptom clusters and burden in caregivers of cancer patients.
  4. Explore relationships between patients' and caregivers' symptoms, symptom clusters, quality of life and caregiver burden.

Patients will be asked to complete questionnaires to collect demographic characteristics and self-reported medical history information, a general symptom inventory, specific measures of the symptoms of pain, sleep disturbance, fatigue, depression, functional status and quality of life. The patients' medical record will be reviewed for disease and treatment information.

The caregivers will also be asked to complete questionnaires about a general symptom inventory, specific measures of the symptoms of pain, sleep disturbance, fatigue, depression, functional status, quality of life and caregiver burden.

Data Analyses will be done to identify symptom clusters of the different symptoms, and to identify patient subgroups based on their symptom experience and quality of life. Variations in symptom clusters and quality of life over time will also be evaluated. Genetic analyses will also be done in the patients.

Keywords
Symptoms, pain, fatigue, depression, sleeplessness, genetic markers, caregiver burden.
Medical subject headings
Neoplasms, Pain, Fatigue, Depression, Parasomnias, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Caregiver Burden

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Study groups in NCT00769301
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
1Not hospitalized cancer patients under active treatment
2Caregivers of these cancer patients

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Physical functioning and quality of life

    Measured: 5 to 8 times during 6 months

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Symptoms will be measured both in patients and caregivers. Caregiver burden will be measured in the caregivers. A blood sample for genetic testing will be taken from the patients once

    Measured: 5 to 8 times during 6 months for patients. Three times during 6 months for caregivers.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted9 Oct 2008 (estimated)
  2. Study startNov 2008
  3. Primary completionDec 2011
  4. Study completionDec 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
570 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00769301
Sponsor's protocol ID
154-08158d
Status last verified
Jun 2011
First submitted
8 Oct 2008
Last updated
7 Aug 2018
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Cancer and Pain, run by Oslo University Hospital at 3 sites in Norway.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Aug 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 3 sites in Norway. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Physical functioning and quality of life (time frame: 5 to 8 times during 6 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Aug 2018.

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