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Stress-Reducing Intervention in Patients With Colorectal and Breast Cancer

A Study on Therapeutic Potential of Stress-Reducing Intervention in Patients With Solid Tumors

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06281145
Acronym
SRI-BrCa_CRC
Enrollment
100
Registered
2024-02-28
Start date
2024-03-15
Completion date
2029-03-15
Last updated
2024-02-28

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer

Keywords

Colon Cancer, Invasive Breast Cancer, Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy, Standard of Care, Inflammation, Stress, Telemedicine, Circadian rhythms, Sleep Quality, Quality of Life, Autonomic Nervous System, Heart-Rate Variability

Brief summary

The goal of this interventional study is to test the heart-rate variability biofeedback intervention (HRV BI) in 2 cohorts of patients. Cohort A will evaluate the effect of the addition of HRV BI in patients with breast cancer treated in the neoadjuvant setting (vs. standard of care alone, SOC) followed by local therapy (surgery +/-radiotherapy). Cohort B will evaluate the effect of the addition of HRV BI in patients with colon cancer after surgery in the adjuvant setting (vs. standard of care alone, SOC).

Detailed description

This is a prospective, interventional, clinical study with in 2 cohorts. Target of subjects is 50 per cohort and an anticipated total duration of 36 months. Participants will undergo 4 sessions of HRV BI with the trainer where they will learn about the prognostic role of the vagal nerve in cancer and in reducing distress and pain, and how to perform deep paced breathing with the HRV monitoring. They will perform the training daily (3-times, minimum 7 minutes each) at home with the online control for 3 months. Researchers will compare the effect of addition of 3-months training of HRV BI to SOC on inflammation, HRV, quality of life (QoL), cognitive functions, salivary cortisol slopes, sleep quality and treatment outcomes of patients with colorectal and breast cancer.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALHeart-rate variability biofeedback intervention

Daily deep paced breathing 3-times (minimum 7 minutes each) for 3 months

Sponsors

Comenius University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

The study consists of two cohorts (breasts cancer and colorectal cancer) with two arms SOC + intervention vs SOC alone.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Patients older than 18 years. 2. Pathologically confirmed breast cancer indicated for neoadjuvant systemic treatment or colon cancer after curative surgery indicated for adjuvant systemic treatment. 3. Adequate renal functions: measured or calculated (by Cockcroft formula) creatinine clearance \> 60 ml/min. 4. Absolute granulocytes count ≥ 1,500/mm3, platelets ≥ 100,000 mm3, bilirubin ≤ 1.5x the upper limit of normal value. 5. Adequate liver functions defined by AST (Aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (Alanine transaminase) ≤ 3xUNL (upper normal of limit). 6. Basic computer skills of patient or his family member. 7. Signed informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

1. Previous chemotherapy. 2. Previous malignancy, except for basal-cell carcinoma of the skin within last 5 years. 3. Patients with know primary immunodeficiency and patients infected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). 4. Patient receiving long term corticosteroid treatment, anti-arrhythmic drugs and opioids who can not withdraw the treatment for the period of application of the heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training. 5. Patients with diabetes mellitus, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac pacemaker implant. 6. Patients who do not fit inclusion criteria.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Primary endpoint - Working memory36 monthsThe effect of 3-month heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training and conventional cancer treatment (standard of care, SOC) vs. SOC alone on working memory measured by digit span test score (the number of remembered digits in the longest passed sequence), for both forward and backward condition.
Primary endpoint - executive functions36 monthsEffect of HRV biofeedback training on executive functions (HRV biofeedback + SOC, vs. SOC alone) measured by Stroop task mean response time for color-word condition.
Primary endpoint- salivary cortisol slopes36 monthsThe effect of 3-month heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training and conventional cancer treatment (standard of care, SOC) vs. SOC alone on salivary cortisol slopes (difference between bedtime and awakening saliva cortisol concentration in ng/ml).
Primary endpoint- sleep quality36 monthsThe effect of 3-month heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training and conventional cancer treatment (standard of care, SOC) vs. SOC alone on sleep quality measured by both actigraphy and self-report data. The main variables are total time spent sleeping (in hours and minutes), and sleep efficiency (proportion of time spent sleeping vs. time spent in bed trying to sleep).
Primary endpoint - heart rate variability (HRV)36 monthsEffect of HRV biofeedback training on HRV indexed by the root mean square of successive differences between heartbeats (RMSSD) in ms.
Primary endpoint - inflammation36 monthshe effect of 3-month heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training and conventional cancer treatment (standard of care, SOC) vs. SOC alone on inflammation (IL-6, Tumor necrosis factor α, IL-10 from peripheral blood sample in pg/ml and tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in %).
Primary endpoint - QoL36 monthsEffect of HRV biofeedback training on quality of life (HRV biofeedback + SOC, vs. The effect of 3-month heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training and conventional cancer treatment (standard of care, SOC) vs. SOC alone on EORTC-QLQ-C30 (version 3) score (QLQ- Quality Life Questionnaire). The EORTC-QLQ-C30 has 30 items divided into five functional scales (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social), and three symptom scales (fatigue, pain, and nausea and vomiting). The score for each scale as well as the sum score for the whole instrument is standardized to values 0 to 100, with a higher score meaning a worse outcome.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Secondary endpoint - Relapse-free Survival (RFS)60 monthsThe effect of 3-month heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training and conventional cancer treatment (standard of care, SOC) vs. SOC alone on RFS for cohort A and B measured in months from the day of curative surgery.
Secondary endpoint - Overall survival (OS)96 monthsThe effect of 3-month heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training and conventional cancer treatment (standard of care, SOC) vs. SOC alone on OS for cohort A and B measured in months from the day of curative surgery.
Secondary endpoint - Serious Adverse Events (SAE)36 monthsThe effect of 3-months heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training and conventional cancer treatment (standard of care, SOC) vs. SOC alone on serious adverse events (SAEs) of chemotherapy.
Secondary endpoint - Pathologic Complete Response (pCR) and Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) rate in cohort A36 monthsThe effect of 3-month heart rate variability (HRV)biofeedback training and conventional cancer treatment (standard of care, SOC) vs. SOC alone on pCR rate evaluated pathologically in surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy, value pCR, RCB I, RCB II, RCB III.

Countries

Slovakia

Contacts

Primary ContactLuba Hunáková
mailto:luba.hunakova@fmed.uniba.sk00421290119943

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026