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CancerNCT02788604

Improving Quality of Life of Children With Cancer Through Psychosocial Screening

A study testing Summary of psychosocial risk factors in people with Cancer, run by The Hospital for Sick Children at 2 sites in Canada.

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

In Canada, approximately 1450 children are diagnosed with cancer annually. Diagnosis of childhood cancer and its aggressive treatment can have devastating psychosocial effects on the whole family (e.g. unpleasant feelings or emotions that impact your daily activities). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 8 to 100 years
Conditions the study is for
Cancer
What is being tested?
Summary of psychosocial risk factors
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
183 participants
Where
2 sitesCanada
Study dates
1 Jun 2015to 31 Jul 2017
Phase
Interventional
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 8 to 100 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer, within 2 to 4 weeks post-diagnosis.
  • Siblings of children newly diagnosed with cancer, within 2-4 weeks post-diagnosis, between the ages of 8 years and 16 years, able to complete outcome measures, without a physical chronic condition.
  • Children with cancer, newly diagnosed, within 2 to 4 weeks post-diagnosis, between the ages of 8 and 16 years, able to complete outcome measures.

Who cannot join

  • Parents of children not diagnosed with cancer.
  • Sibling of children not diagnosed with cancer
  • Children not diagnosed with cancer.

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Canada2 sites
  • The Hospital for Sick Children

    Toronto, Ontario, M5V1X8

  • BC Women and Children's Hospital

    Vancouver, British Columbia

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: Improving Quality of Life of Children With Cancer Through Psychosocial Screening and Improved Communication in Health Care Providers

In Canada, approximately 1450 children are diagnosed with cancer annually. Diagnosis of childhood cancer and its aggressive treatment can have devastating psychosocial effects on the whole family (e.g. unpleasant feelings or emotions that impact your daily activities). It is not known whether health care providers who treat these children use and value psychosocial tools or how beneficial the use of these tools is for these families. This research team will test the benefits of using psychosocial screening on the quality of life of treated children, parents and siblings.

Read the detailed description

In Canada approximately 1450 children are diagnosed with cancer annually. Childhood cancer diagnosis and treatment can have devastating psychosocial effects on the family. Tools to screen for psychosocial risks (PSR) in pediatric oncology are rare. Our preliminary work adapted the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT) for the Canadian population, PATrevised (PATrev), and developed the Psychosocial Care Checklist (PCCL). The PATrev is completed by parents of children with cancer, and yields a summary of the psychosocial needs of the patient, parents, and siblings. The PCCL assesses HCPs knowledge of family's psychosocial needs and services. Importantly, psychosocial screening is associated with reduced parental anxiety and improved child's quality of life (QOL). Demonstration of the tool's ability to maximize patient and family psychosocial outcomes is needed. Participants will be parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer, (patients and siblings (> 8 years), if available). Design: RCT with concealed allocation to experimental group (EG) and control group (CG), with repeated measures (after diagnosis= T1, 6 months later=T2). The EG treating team will receive a summary of PATrev risk information based on parent report. No risk information will be provided in the CG. Parents in both groups will complete the PATrev, family environment questionnaire, self--report and proxy reported QoL, distress and mood measures for the patient and one sibling. Patients and siblings will self-report on QOL, distress and mood. Patient charts will be reviewed (T2) to determine treatment intensity and documented psychosocial services for each family.

Conditions
Cancer
Being tested
Summary of psychosocial risk factors, Control
Keywords
psychosocial screening, quality of life
Medical subject headings
Neoplasms

What participants receive

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

  • Summary of psychosocial risk factorsOther

    The treatment team will receive a psychosocial risk summary shortly following diagnosis based on parent report.

  • ControlOther

    The treatment team will NOT receive a psychosocial risk summary shortly following diagnosis based on parent report.

Study groups in NCT02788604
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Experimental GroupExperimentalParticipants in this arm will have a summary of their family's psychosocial risk factors provided to the treatment team. This will occur twice: once shortly after diagnosis (within 2-4 weeks) and once approximately 6 months following diagnosis.
Receives: Other: Summary of psychosocial risk factors
Control GroupActive comparatorParticipants in this arm will NOT have a summary of their family's psychosocial risk factors provided to the treatment team shortly after diagnosis. However, the risk factors will be distributed to the treatment team 6 months following diagnosis.
Receives: Other: Control

What is being measured

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

  1. Change from baseline psychological distress at pediatric cancer diagnosis to six months later

    Measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A standardized measure of symptoms of anxiety and depression in adults. The HADS is suitable for all ages from 17+. The HADS consists of 14 questions, which are ranked according to a 4 point Likert type scale.

    Measured: T1 (2-4 weeks following pediatric cancer diagnosis); T2 (6 months following diagnosis)

Secondary outcomes (7)
  1. Change from baseline quality of life at pediatric cancer diagnosis to six months (Parent Self-Report)

    Measured by Caregiver Quality of Life Scale (CQOLC), 35 items using a five-point Likert-type scale to assess QoL in the family caregiver of cancer patients.

    Measured: T1 (2-4 weeks following pediatric cancer diagnosis); T2 (6 months following diagnosis)

  2. Change from baseline distress at pediatric cancer diagnosis to six months following

    Measured by the Distress Thermometer, a standardized screening tool for measuring emotional distress in adults. Has been widely used as a screening tool of distress in adult cancer patients and caregivers.

    Measured: T1 (2-4 weeks following pediatric cancer diagnosis); T2 (6 months following diagnosis)

  3. Change from baseline family climate at pediatric cancer diagnosis to six months

    Measured by Family Environment Scale (FES), a standardized measure of social climate within the family. The FES is a self-report measure which contains 27 true/false statements.

    Measured: T1 (2-4 weeks following pediatric cancer diagnosis); T2 (6 months following diagnosis)

  4. Change from baseline quality of life at pediatric cancer diagnosis to six months (Self) report

    Measured by Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL 4.0) - Cancer Module, Standardized tool measures child/parent perceptions of a child's health-related quality of life specific to having cancer. Self report and parent proxy perception of health-related quality of life across 8 domains: pain, nausea, procedure, and treatment anxiety, worry, cognition, physical and commutation.

    Measured: T1 (2-4 weeks following pediatric cancer diagnosis); T2 (6 months following diagnosis)

  5. Change from baseline quality of life at pediatric cancer diagnosis to six months (Proxy Report)

    Measured by Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL 4.0) - Generic Module.The measure assesses perception for the child's general health across global, physical, emotional , social and academic domains. Parent/self report by healthy sibling

    Measured: T1 (2-4 weeks following pediatric cancer diagnosis); T2 (6 months following diagnosis)

  6. Pediatric Distress Thermometer

    Standardized screening tool for measuring emotional distress in children. The distress thermometer adapted for pediatric population. Participants self-report on their distress on a line drawing representation of a thermometer. For this age group, distress is defined as worry, anxiety, sadness and fear on a visual analog scale from 0 (no distress) to 5 (moderate distress) to 10 (high distress). For patient with cancer and healthy sibling.

    Measured: T1 (2-4 weeks following pediatric cancer diagnosis); T2 (6 months following diagnosis)

  7. Pediatric Index of Emotional Distress (PI-ed)

    A 14-item self-report measure of emotional distress in children rated on a 4-point Likert scale (0 = not at all; 3 = always). This measure, based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS;[62]), was designed to differentiate symptoms of emotional distress from physical illness in pediatric populations. It comprises two subscales assessing depression and anxiety, which when summated, provides a global index of emotional distress. For child with Cancer and healthy sibling.

    Measured: T1 (2-4 weeks following pediatric cancer diagnosis); T2 (6 months following diagnosis)

Timeline

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

  1. First posted2 Jun 2016 (estimated)
  2. Study start1 Jun 2015
  3. Primary completion31 Jul 2017
  4. Study completion31 Jul 2017

Resources

More details

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

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
183 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02788604
Sponsor's protocol ID
702843
Status last verified
Oct 2019
First submitted
27 May 2016
Last updated
10 Oct 2019
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Boman K, Lindahl A, Bjork O. Disease-related distress in parents of children with cancer at various stages after the time of diagnosis. Acta Oncol. 2003;42(2):137-46. doi: 10.1080/02841860310004995.

    PubMed 12801132
  • Kazak AE, Simms S, Rourke MT. Family systems practice in pediatric psychology. J Pediatr Psychol. 2002 Mar;27(2):133-43. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/27.2.133.

    PubMed 11821497
  • Sawyer MG, Antoniou G, Toogood I, Rice M, Baghurst PA. A prospective study of the psychological adjustment of parents and families of children with cancer. J Paediatr Child Health. 1993 Oct;29(5):352-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1993.tb00533.x.

    PubMed 8240863
  • Wijnberg-Williams BJ, Kamps WA, Klip EC, Hoekstra-Weebers JE. Psychological distress and the impact of social support on fathers and mothers of pediatric cancer patients: long-term prospective results. J Pediatr Psychol. 2006 Sep;31(8):785-92. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsj087. Epub 2005 Oct 26.

    PubMed 16251479
  • Woodgate RL, Degner LF, Yanofsky R. A different perspective to approaching cancer symptoms in children. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2003 Sep;26(3):800-17. doi: 10.1016/s0885-3924(03)00285-9.

    PubMed 12967729
  • Kupst MJ, Natta MB, Richardson CC, Schulman JL, Lavigne JV, Das L. Family coping with pediatric leukemia: ten years after treatment. J Pediatr Psychol. 1995 Oct;20(5):601-17. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/20.5.601.

    PubMed 7500233
  • Barrera M, D'Agostino NM, Gibson J, Gilbert T, Weksberg R, Malkin D. Predictors and mediators of psychological adjustment in mothers of children newly diagnosed with cancer. Psychooncology. 2004 Sep;13(9):630-41. doi: 10.1002/pon.765.

    PubMed 15334531
  • Kazak AE, Brier M, Alderfer MA, Reilly A, Fooks Parker S, Rogerwick S, Ditaranto S, Barakat LP. Screening for psychosocial risk in pediatric cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2012 Nov;59(5):822-7. doi: 10.1002/pbc.24166. Epub 2012 Apr 10.

    PubMed 22492662
  • Barrera M, Hancock K, Rokeach A, Cataudella D, Atenafu E, Johnston D, Punnett A, Nathan PC, Bartels U, Silva M, Cassidy M, Jansen P, Shama W, Greenberg C. External validity and reliability of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT) among Canadian parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2014 Jan;61(1):165-70. doi: 10.1002/pbc.24774. Epub 2013 Sep 17.

    PubMed 24106172
  • Patel SK, Mullins W, Turk A, Dekel N, Kinjo C, Sato JK. Distress screening, rater agreement, and services in pediatric oncology. Psychooncology. 2011 Dec;20(12):1324-33. doi: 10.1002/pon.1859. Epub 2010 Oct 5.

    PubMed 20925136
  • Barrera M, Young MA, Hancock K, Chung J. Early trajectory of psychosocial risk in families of children and adolescents newly diagnosed with cancer. Support Care Cancer. 2022 Feb;30(2):1815-1822. doi: 10.1007/s00520-021-06581-3. Epub 2021 Oct 4.

    PubMed 34608532
  • Barrera M, Alexander S, Atenafu EG, Chung J, Hancock K, Solomon A, Desjardins L, Shama W, Mills D. Psychosocial screening and mental health in pediatric cancer: A randomized controlled trial. Health Psychol. 2020 May;39(5):381-390. doi: 10.1037/hea0000825. Epub 2020 Jan 23.

    PubMed 31971403
  • Barrera M, Hancock K, Atenafu E, Alexander S, Solomon A, Desjardins L, Shama W, Chung J, Mills D. Quality of life in pediatric oncology patients, caregivers and siblings after psychosocial screening: a randomized controlled trial. Support Care Cancer. 2020 Aug;28(8):3659-3668. doi: 10.1007/s00520-019-05160-x. Epub 2019 Dec 6.

    PubMed 31811485

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Summary of psychosocial risk factors in people with Cancer, run by The Hospital for Sick Children at 2 sites in Canada.

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 3 inclusion and 3 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 10 Oct 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Canada. 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?

Change from baseline psychological distress at pediatric cancer diagnosis to six months later (time frame: T1 (2-4 weeks following pediatric cancer diagnosis); T2 (6 months following diagnosis)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02788604, which also lists 13 linked publications.

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 10 Oct 2019.

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