Background:
Psychological distress affects many people diagnosed with a primary central nervous
system tumor (CNST). Distress can include negative feelings such as anger, fear, or
sadness. Researchers want to see if a type of therapy called Cancer and Living
Meaningfully (CALM) can help. It promotes well-being in people who have cancer that
cannot be cured.
Objective:
To find out if the CALM therapy can help people with a CNST suffering from distress.
Eligibility:
English-speaking adults ages 18 and older who have a CNST and are taking part in NIH
protocol #16C0151.
Design:
This study will not take place in person. It will be done by smartphone, computer, or
tablet.
Participants will fill out 7 surveys. The surveys will take 40 to 60 minutes to complete.
They are all electronic. They will ask about physical and emotional symptoms, depression,
feelings about death and dying, feelings about close relationships, and general
well-being.
Participants will be assigned to a CALM therapist. They will have 3 to 6 individual
therapy sessions in 6 months. Each session will last 45 to 60 minutes. Sessions may be
audio recorded. If needed, participants may have extra sessions.
CALM includes symptom management and discussions of meaning, purpose, and mortality.
Participants may have a family member take part in at least one CALM session with them.
After the third CALM session, participants will be asked questions about CALM.
After 3 and 6 months, participants will complete the 7 surveys again.
Participation will last about 6 months.
Additional locations may be listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT04852302.
See trial information on ClinicalTrials.gov for a list of participating sites.
Background:
- Psychological distress is an emotional state experienced by primary central nervous
system tumor (PCNST) patients throughout the illness trajectory. It can often be
under identified in this patient population.
- Limited therapeutic interventions in managing distress symptoms can allow symptoms
to linger without tailored mechanisms to manage the emotional challenges experienced
with a tumor diagnosis. Individualized therapy in advanced cancer patients is a
preferred method over pharmacological interventions when managing psychological
distress, but more evidence-based research is needed to address the benefits.
- The Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) intervention is a brief, individualized
psychotherapeutic intervention established to meet an unmet need to address
psychological distress and promote well-being in advanced cancer patients. Previous
studies implementing the CALM intervention have focused on metastatic and advanced
cancer patients and have reported positive effects. Implementing the CALM
intervention in a sample of PCNST patients will be one of the first studies to
identify the preliminary effectiveness.
Objective:
-To demonstrate the effects of the CALM intervention in reduction of depressive symptoms
using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) - Depression
scale in PCNST participants, from baseline to 6 months.
Eligibility:
- Adult participants greater than or equal to 18 years of age with a PCNST diagnosis
who are undergoing standard of care or experimental treatment.
- The ability of the subject to speak English
- Subjects who have a life expectancy of at least 3 months from time of study entry to
allow for participation in the 3 required sessions.
- The ability of the subject to understand and willing to sign a written informed
consent document as determined by the assessment of the clinical team.
Design:
- A total of 100 participants will be enrolled
- Neuro-Oncology participants being seen in the clinical center or receiving
telehealth services will be screened to participate. Participants will be assigned a
CALM therapist, and all sessions will be completed remotely.
Data from standardized measures will be collected at 3 timepoints (Baseline, 3 months, 6
months) and qualitative interviews will be completed after the 3rd CALM session for a
select number of participants until data saturation is reached (estimated to be 15-30).
-Approximate time for sessions is 45-60 minutes.
Trial PhaseNo phase specified
Trial Typetreatment
Lead OrganizationNational Cancer Institute
Principal InvestigatorTerri Sue Armstrong
