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Clinical Trials/NCT05703178
NCT05703178
Recruiting
Phase 3

Web-based Pain Coping Skills Training to Improve Pain and Poor Adherence Caused by Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Arthralgia In Breast Cancer Survivors (SKIP-Arthralgia): A Randomized Controlled Trial

Northwestern University2 sites in 1 country452 target enrollmentJanuary 19, 2023

Overview

Phase
Phase 3
Intervention
Not specified
Conditions
Breast Cancer
Sponsor
Northwestern University
Enrollment
452
Locations
2
Primary Endpoint
Change in Brief Pain Inventory pain severity subscale
Status
Recruiting
Last Updated
9 months ago

Overview

Brief Summary

The main goal of this clinical trial is to test benefits of completing online pain coping skills training program in women who have been diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer, who have completed their primary cancer treatment, who are taking an AI medication, and who have arthralgia. Arthralgia is a type of joint, bone, and muscle pain that is a common side effect of AI medications. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  1. Whether online pain coping skills training reduces the severity of pain and the interference it causes in women's daily lives.
  2. Whether online pain coping skills training improves emotional distress, quality of life, and adherence to AI medications.
  3. Whether benefits of online pain coping skills training are at least partially caused by women's increased confidence that they can manage their pain and a reduction in unhelpful thinking patterns about pain.
  4. Whether online pain coping skills training improves effects of AI medications on sleep problems and symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and night sweats.

Participants can complete all parts of the study at home. They will:

  1. Complete four sets of questionnaires throughout the study, which will take about 9 to 10 months.
  2. Attend 3 meetings in the first month of the study, all of which can be held via a video conference.
  3. Use an electronic pill bottle to track their use of their AI medication.
  4. Be randomized (like flipping a coin) to one of two study arms: They will either receive education about AIs and arthralgia or they will receive this education along with access to an online pain coping skills training program.

Research will compare the education group to the education plus online pain coping skills training group to see if online pain coping skills training has the benefits mentioned above.

Registry
clinicaltrials.gov
Start Date
January 19, 2023
End Date
November 30, 2026
Last Updated
9 months ago
Study Type
Interventional
Study Design
Parallel
Sex
Female

Investigators

Responsible Party
Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator

Christine Rini, PhD

Professor

Northwestern University

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Female sex
  • Aged 18 years old or older
  • Diagnosed with Stage 0-III hormone receptor positive breast cancer
  • Completed primary cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy)
  • Postmenopausal
  • Currently taking AI therapy (letrozole, exemestane, or anastrozole)
  • Reporting musculoskeletal pain that developed or worsened since starting AI therapy
  • Reporting at least 15 days of pain in the past 30 days
  • A worst pain rating of 4 or more on an 11 point (0-10) numerical rating scale in the past week
  • Based on known factors affecting their prognosis, patient is likely to be able to complete the study protocol

Exclusion Criteria

  • Evidence of metastatic disease
  • Other active cancer (with the exception of non-melanoma skin cancer)
  • Completed chemotherapy or radiation therapy less than four weeks prior to enrollment (these treatments can cause temporary exacerbation of musculoskeletal symptoms that typically resolve spontaneously)
  • Completed surgery less than 8 weeks prior to enrollment (because surgery can cause temporary post-surgical pain that typically resolves in this period of time); minor surgeries may be allowed more recently than 8 weeks at the discretion of the study team
  • Have diagnosed or suspected condition that would interfere with informed consent or completion of study activities (e.g., significant impairment in cognition or uncorrected hearing/vision)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Brief Pain Inventory pain severity subscale

Time Frame: Change in BPI pain severity from baseline to 10-14 weeks post-baseline (Follow up 1)

We will calculate the mean of the four items on this subscale, as recommended by the scale's developers, to yield a score ranging from 0 to 10; higher scores indicate more severe pain. Analyses will examine group differences in change in pain severity.

Change in Brief Pain Inventory pain interference subscale

Time Frame: Change in BPI pain interference from baseline to 10-14 weeks post-baseline (Follow up 1)

We will calculate the mean of the seven items on this subscale, as recommended by the scale's developers, to yield a score ranging from 0 to 10; higher scores indicate greater interference. Analyses will examine group differences in change in pain interference.

Secondary Outcomes

  • Change in Brief Pain Inventory pain severity subscale(Change in BPI pain severity score from baseline to 34-38 weeks post-baseline (Follow up 3))
  • Change in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lymphedema (FACT-B)(Change in FACT-B total score from baseline to 34-38 weeks post-baseline (Follow up 3))
  • Change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(Change in HADS score from baseline to 34-38 weeks post-baseline (Follow up 3))
  • Probability of optimal adherence using event data from electronic pill bottle (Medication Event Monitoring System or MEMS Cap pill bottles)(Probability of MEMS-recorded optimal adherence from baseline to 10-14 weeks post-baseline (Follow up 3))
  • Change in Medication Adherence Rating Scale(Change in MARS scores from baseline to 34-38 weeks post-baseline (Follow up 3))
  • Change in Use event data from electronic pill bottle (Medication Event Monitoring System or MEMS Cap pill bottles)(Change in MEMS-recorded adherence from baseline to 10-14 weeks post-baseline (Follow up 1))
  • Change in Brief Pain Inventory pain interference subscale(Change in BPI pain severity score from baseline to 34-38 weeks post-baseline (Follow up 3))

Study Sites (2)

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