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The Effect of Cancer Treatments on Speech Perception in Noise, Cognition, and Hearing-Related Quality of Life

Recruiting
Conditions
Quality of Life
Cognitive Decline
Hearing Loss Ototoxic
Cancer
Interventions
Other: Chemotherapy, chemoradiation, radiation therapy
Registration Number
NCT06551857
Lead Sponsor
Turku University Hospital
Brief Summary

The study will assess the effect of cancer treatments on speech perception in noise, cognition, and hearing-related quality of life by monitoring 200 cancer patients receiving standard care for their underlying malignancy.

Detailed Description

The study will assess the effects of four different types of cancer treatments on speech perception in noise, hearing thresholds, cognition, and hearing-related quality of life over a follow-up period of 3 years.

The speech perception in noise will be assessed using the Finnish matrix sentence test. Other hearing measures include transient and distortion product otoacoustic emissions, impedance audiometry and pure-tone audiometry extending to high frequencies (0.125kHz - 16kHz).

Hearing-related quality of life will be assessed using Speech, Spatial, and Qualities 12 -questionnaire, Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale 10 -questionnaire and Tinnitus Handicap Index. Cognitive functions will be assed using Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) questionnaire and neuropsychological tests. The neuropsychological tests included in the study are Continuous Performance Test, Continuous Auditory Test of Attention, Trail Making Test A \& B, Stroop Test, Coding and Digit span tasks from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Fourth Edition, Word List task from Wechsler Memory Scale III, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test.

Neuropsychological assessments will be conducted at baseline and 1 year and 3 years after the end of the treatments. All other assessments will be conducted at baseline and at 3-4 months, 1 year, and 3 years after the end of the initial treatments.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
250
Inclusion Criteria
  • written informed consent
  • native Finnish speaker
  • age-normative hearing
  • for participants in the treatment arms: diagnosis of a malignancy that will be treated with curative intent with any of the following: 1) Cisplatin as the main chemotherapeutic agent, 2) oxaliplatin as the main chemotherapeutic agent, 3) cisplatin-based chemoradiation therapy in the head and neck region, 4) radiation therapy in the head and neck region
Exclusion Criteria
  • inability to provide written informed consent
  • Current or prior major otological condition that has affected or has had the potential to affect hearing
  • Conductive or asymmetric sensorineural HL of any severity
  • Severe sensorineural HL
  • Prior malignancy treated with chemotherapeutics or radiation therapy
  • Prior use of ototoxic medications
  • Any significant disease or disorder which, in the opinion of the investigator, may either put the subject at risk by participation in the trial, or may influence the result of the trial.
  • Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with adherence to the trial requirements.

For participants in the treatment arms:

  • Allergy or hypersensitivity to trial medications or their ingredients
  • Pregnancy or breast-feeding, aim of becoming pregnant during the trial.

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
CisplatinChemotherapy, chemoradiation, radiation therapy50 patients receiving cisplatin as the standard care for their underlying malignancy
Cisplatin-based chemoradion therapy in the head and neck regionChemotherapy, chemoradiation, radiation therapy50 patients receiving cisplatin-based chemoradiation therapy in the head and neck region as the standard care for their underlying malignancy
Head and neck region radiation therapyChemotherapy, chemoradiation, radiation therapy50 patient receiving head and neck region radiation therapy as the standard care for their underlying malignancy
OxaliplatinChemotherapy, chemoradiation, radiation therapy50 patients receiving oxaliplatin as the standard care for their underlying malignancy
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Speech perception in noise4 months

The treatment-related change in speech perception in noise (in decibel signal-to-noise ratio (db SNR)) from baseline to first follow-up at 3-4 months after the end of the treatment.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Short- and long-term effects on high frequency hearing3 years

Treatment-related changes in high frequency (8-16kHz) hearing thresholds

Hearing-related quality of life - Tinnitus3 years

Treatment-related changes in tinnitus symptoms are measured using the total score from Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). The questionnaire provides a total score between 0 and 100, with larger score indicating more tinnitus-related handicap. An increase in the total score indicates increased tinnitus-related handicap.

Treatment-related changes in brain glucose metabolism3 years

Treatment-related brain changes are evaluated from the FDG PET by assessing the voxel-wise mean change in the standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) from baseline to follow-up. Decrease in SUVRs indicates treatment-related decrease in brain glucose metabolism.

Hearing-related quality of life - Sound quality3 years

Treatment-related changes in hearing related quality of life measured using the total score from Speech, Spatial, and Qualities 12 question questionnaire (SSQ-12). Responses are given with a VAS scale from 0 to 10, with 10 indicating perfect hearing performance and 0 worst possible performance. Range for total scores is 0-120, and decrease in scores indicates deterioration in hearing-related quality of life.

Hearing-related quality of life - Fatigue3 years

Treatment-related changes in hearing-related fatigue are measured using the total score from Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale for Adults (10 question version, VFS-A-10). Responses are given in a 5-point Likert scale. The range for total scores is 0-40 with higher scores indicating more fatigue / worse score. An increase in the total score indicates increased listening-related fatigue.

Long-term effects on speech perception in noise3 years

Treatment-related long-term changes in speech perception in noise (in decibel signal-to-noise ratio (dB SNR)) measured with the Finnish matrix sentence test

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Turku University Hospital

🇫🇮

Turku, Varsinais-Suomi, Finland

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