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Clinical Trials/NCT06746103
NCT06746103
Not yet recruiting
Not Applicable

RELIEVE Research on Effectiveness of Surgery and Radiotherapy on Relieving Spine Tumor Pain in Patients with Vertebral Metastases

AO Foundation, AO Spine0 sites250 target enrollmentMarch 31, 2025

Overview

Phase
Not Applicable
Intervention
Not specified
Conditions
Spinal Metastasis
Sponsor
AO Foundation, AO Spine
Enrollment
250
Primary Endpoint
Pain intensity on the Brief Pain Inventory Intensity Scale of four different types of pain caused by the index spinal metastasis, measuring pain on a numeric rating scale from 0 to 10, with 0 meaning no pain and 10 meaning as bad as one can imagine.
Status
Not yet recruiting
Last Updated
last year

Overview

Brief Summary

This is a prospective, multicenter, observational study focusing on assessing and managing pain in patients with metastatic spinal tumors. Pain from spinal metastases adversely impacts quality of life, function, and treatment outcomes. Advances in surgical techniques have shown significant benefits. However, previous studies either lacked nuanced differentiations or simply categorized pain as mechanical or non-mechanical; explaining the highly variable pain outcome measurements in these studies. This study employs the AO Spine Cancer-Related Pain Classification to better categorize neoplastic spinal pain by etiology.

Detailed Description

This is a prospective, multicenter, observational study. Patients with metastatic spinal tumors and one symptomatic metastatic site (ie, the index metastasis) that is causing at least one type of pain (ie, the index pain) of interest to this study that has at least "moderate" pain in intensity (numeric rating scale \[NRS\] \> 4) will be enrolled from participating sites. Four types of neoplastic pain in the AO Spine Cancer-Related Pain Classification are of interest to this study. 1. The axial non-triggered pain is hypothesized to be secondary to periosteal stretching and/or release of nociceptive cytokines; it is mostly associated with osteoclastic activity but can be sometimes associated with reactive sclerosis. This pain may show a diurnal variation with increased severity at night and typically responds to steroids or opioid medications. 2. The axial triggered/mechanical pain is nociceptive pain secondary to inability of osseous spinal structures to support physical loads. It is typically associated with osteoclastic activity but can also be due to periosteal nerve stimulation from frank fractures or microfractures. This pain typically does not respond well to the medical treatments and if the pain is severe, progressive, or debilitating, may benefit from stabilization. 3. Radicular non-triggered pain is a result of persistent compression of a nerve root which can be due to tumor or bone expansion. This type of neurologic pain follows a specific nerve root distribution with a correlative compression lesion. It may be resolved with decompression or potentially with nonoperative measures such as radiotherapy or systemic treatments. 4. Radicular triggered/mechanical pain is a result of transient compression of a nerve root caused by mechanical instability. This type of neurologic pain also follows a specific nerve root distribution with a correlative compression lesion. It may be relieved in certain position such as recumbency and often benefits from stabilization surgery with or without decompression. Patients will be treated (ie, the index treatment) with surgery alone, surgery with postoperative radiotherapy, or radiotherapy alone for the index metastasis. Day 0 is defined as: 1) for patients receiving surgery only, the day of the surgery (or the first stage of surgery in the case of staged surgery), 2) for patients receiving radiotherapy only, the day of the first session of radiotherapy, or 3) for patients receiving both surgery and radiotherapy, whichever treatment day that comes earlier. Patients will be followed up at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after Day 0. The primary study outcome is the intensity of the four different types of pain caused by the index spinal metastasis. The study will delineate how these kinds of pain respond to treatment over time. Secondary objectives investigate factors predictive of pain relief and the relationship between pain and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Registry
clinicaltrials.gov
Start Date
March 31, 2025
End Date
November 30, 2027
Last Updated
last year
Study Type
Observational
Sex
All

Investigators

Sponsor
AO Foundation, AO Spine
Responsible Party
Sponsor

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Age 18 years and older
  • Patients diagnosed with metastatic spinal tumors with one index metastatic site that, confirmed by the treating clinicians, is causing spine pain
  • Patients experience at least one type of pain that is of interest of this study, namely, axial non-triggered pain, axial triggered/mechanical pain, radicular non-triggered pain, and radicular triggered/mechanical pain
  • At least one type of the pain experienced has an NRS \> 4 of 10
  • Patients undergoing surgery and/or radiotherapy
  • Surgery may be instrumented stabilization surgery alone, instrumented stabilization and decompression, or decompression surgery alone.
  • Percutaneous screw fixation counts as instrumented stabilization surgery.
  • Any kind of radiotherapy is includable.
  • Ability to provide informed consent according to the IRB/EC defined and approved procedures

Exclusion Criteria

  • Estimated survival \< 3 months
  • Patients with more than one symptomatic spine metastasis site
  • o An example is a patient with two metastasis sites: a lumbar metastasis (causing vertebral fracture and epidural compression leading to mechanical lower back pain and static radicular pain to legs) and a cervical metastasis (causing tumor-related pain at the neck).
  • Patients with other sources of pain that may confound the measurement of the primary outcome
  • o An example is a patient with liver metastasis which causes visceral pain that can confound the thoracic spinal pain caused by the spinal metastasis.
  • Patients undergoing the following treatments alone without the surgeries listed in the inclusion criteria or radiotherapy
  • Cement augmentation, vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and other emerging interventions such as local ablative technique
  • Chemotherapy or systemic therapy alone

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Pain intensity on the Brief Pain Inventory Intensity Scale of four different types of pain caused by the index spinal metastasis, measuring pain on a numeric rating scale from 0 to 10, with 0 meaning no pain and 10 meaning as bad as one can imagine.

Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months

The primary study outcome is the intensity of the four different types of pain caused by the index spinal metastasis, ie, the index pain(s): * Axial non-triggered pain * Axial triggered/mechanical pain * Radicular non-triggered pain * Radicular triggered/mechanical pain

Secondary Outcomes

  • Single support measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Stance measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Stance asymmetry measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Double support measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Double support asymmetry measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Step width measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Stride consistency measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Hip range of motion measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Femoral rotation range measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Survival(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Tumor control(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: Michigan Body Map measuring pain location(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: PainDETECT measuring neuropathic pain(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: BAT measuring breakthrough pain(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: PROMIS Bank v1.0-Fatigue measuring fatigue(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: PROMIS Bank v2.0-Physical Function measuring physical function(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: RAPA measuring physical activity(Baseline and 3 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: SOSGOQ v2 measuring health-related quality of life(Baseline and 3 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: GAD-7 measuring anxiety(Baseline and 3 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: PHQ-8 measuring depression(Baseline and 3 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: PROMIS Bank v1.0-Sleep Disturbance measuring sleep(Baseline and 3 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: PCS -6 measuring pain catastrophizing(Baseline and 3 months.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: PEPSO measuring patient expectations(Baseline.)
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measure: PGIC scale measuring global improvement with treatment(1 month, 3 months, and 6 months.)
  • Time up and go test measuring mobility(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • 30-second sit-to-stand test measuring mobility(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • 6-minute walk test measuring mobility(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Walking speed measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Speed variability measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Cadence measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Step length measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Stride length measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)
  • Step length symmetry measuring gait(Baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months)

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