Childhood Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System NeoplasmNCT07729384
Strengthening Teen Brain Resilience Using Music Intervention to Improve Radiation Induced Cognitive Decline for Adolescents Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Cancer Treatment
A study testing Interview, Music Therapy and Survey Administration in people with Childhood Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm and Childhood Malignant Solid Neoplasm, run by Mayo Clinic at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This clinical trial tests the feasibility and acceptability of the Strengthening Teen Brain Resilience Using Music (STRUM) intervention to improve radiation induced cognitive decline for adolescents undergoing radiation therapy for cancer treatment. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 17 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Childhood Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm, Childhood Malignant Solid Neoplasm
- What is being tested?
- Interview, Music Therapy and Survey Administration
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Oct 2026to 1 Nov 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
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 12 to 17 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Aged 12-17 years at the time of enrollment
- Receiving initial radiation therapy (RT) for cancer treatment with curative intent at the Mayo Clinic Arizona
- Able to provide assent
- Able to read and write in English
- Have access to an electronic device with videoconferencing capability
Who cannot join
- Less than three-month prognosis
- Past history of RT
- Self-reported visual, hearing, or cognitive impairment impeding the ability to complete the STRUM intervention
- Prior receipt of ukulele or guitar lessons
- Actively receiving musical instrument lessons
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
Mayo Clinic in Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona, 85259
Robert Bennett, PhD, RN, 480-301-4394
C. Robert Bennett, PhD, RN
About this study
Official title: Strengthening Teen Brain Resilience Using Music (STRUM) During Cancer Treatment: A Pilot Feasibility Trial
This clinical trial tests the feasibility and acceptability of the Strengthening Teen Brain Resilience Using Music (STRUM) intervention to improve radiation induced cognitive decline for adolescents undergoing radiation therapy for cancer treatment. Adolescents treated with radiation therapy for cancer often experience persistent cognitive deficits and reduced brain resilience or the ability to preserve cognitive and emotional functioning despite stressors. Musical instrument training has been shown to enhance memory, academic skills, and emotional well-being in youth. Although guitars are often the most preferred instrument, ukuleles offer greater accessibility due to their simplicity, affordability, and suitability for younger users. The STRUM intervention consists of virtual active music therapy ukulele lessons, which may be a feasible and acceptable way to improve radiation induced cognitive decline for adolescents undergoing radiation therapy for cancer treatment.
- Being tested
- Interview, Music Therapy, Survey Administration
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
InterviewOther
Ancillary studies
Music TherapyProcedure or surgery
Attend STRUM sessions
Survey AdministrationOther
Ancillary studies
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Supportive care (STRUM sessions) | Experimental | Patients receive a ukulele, tuner, and songbook and attend virtually delivered ukulele lessons over 30 minutes each, once weekly, for 10 weeks. Intervention sessions are structured with stair-stepping difficulty with each lesson concluding with learning a new song. Ten optional supplemental video-recorded lessons (approximately 15 minutes each) will be available for patients to view asynchronously and use for independent practice between weekly sessions. Patients are encouraged to practice their skills independently for at least 90 minutes per week. At the conclusion of the study, patients may attend an optional virtual "Encore Concert Event" remotely, featuring audio-video clips compiled from participants' lessons. Receives: Other: Interview; Procedure: Music Therapy; Other: Survey Administration |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Percentage of eligible participants who consent to participate in this study (feasibility)
Feasibility defined as achieving a ≥ 70% consent rate among eligible participants.
Measured: At time of enrollment
Proportion of Strengthening Teen Brain Resilience Using Music (STRUM) sessions completed (feasibility)
Participants will receive 10 weekly 30-minute virtual ukulele lessons over ten weeks. Basic descriptive statistical analyses will be performed.
Measured: Up to 10 weeks
Average weekly practice minutes
Assessed by patient self-report. Participants will be encouraged to practice their skills independently for at least 90 minutes per week. Basic descriptive statistical analyses will be performed.
Measured: Up to 10 weeks
Percentage of participants who complete ≥ 90% of the measures at each timepoint (feasibility)
Basic descriptive statistical analyses will be performed.
Measured: Baseline, week 6, week 12, week 20
Acceptability of the STRUM intervention
Defined as mean Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) score of ≥ 3/4, supported by exit interview feedback. Basic descriptive statistical analyses will be performed. The AIM is a study-specific measure that consists of 4 questions, each answered on a scale of 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree). Higher scores indicate greater acceptability.
Measured: Approximately 2 weeks following end of intervention (week 12)
Participant perspective on meaningfulness of the STRUM intervention
Assessed by exit interview feedback. Participants will complete semi-structured exit interviews (approximately 30-minute duration). Exit interview transcripts will be analyzed and coded using thematic analyses. Thematic findings will be used to refine the intervention design and delivery.
Measured: Approximately 2 weeks following end of intervention (week 12)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Jul 2026
- Study start1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Nov 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Nov 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Childhood Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System NeoplasmStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Mayo ClinicThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Mayo Clinic
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- C. Robert Bennett, PhD, RN, Principal investigator, Mayo Clinic
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07729384
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 25-014110
- Other IDs
- NCI-2026-03943, R34CA317559
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 22 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 11 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No