fatigue and molecular mechanisms in cancer patients receiving ccrt

Conditions: Cancer; Thoracic Cancer; Gynecologic Cancer; Head and Neck Cancer; Gastrointestinal Cancer

Summary: cancer-related fatigue (crf) is a significant problem for cancer patients. this prospective, basic science, observational study will evaluate for changes in crf associated with molecular characteristics prior to, during, and at the completion of non-investigational, standard-of-care, combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy (ccrt) and to develop and assess predictive models for crf severity.

primary objective for mean, morning and evening crf: aim 1. evaluate for associations between phenotypic characteristics and initial levels and the trajectories of crf. aim 2. evaluate for associations between changes in crf severity and changes in gene expression levels prior to the initiation and at the end of ccrt. aim 3. evaluate for associations between changes in crf severity and changes in circulating free cytokine levels prior to the initiation and at the end of ccrt. aim 4. develop and assess predictive models for crf severity midway, at the end of, and at least six months post-ccrt using demographic, clinical, and molecular characteristics collected prior the initiation of ccrt. secondary objectives for the commonly co-occurring symptom of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (cipn): secondary aim 5. evaluate for associations between phenotypic characteristics and initial levels and the trajectories of cipn. secondary aim 6. evaluate for associations between changes in cipn severity and changes in gene expression levels prior to the initiation and at the end of ccrt. secondary aim 7. evaluate for associations between changes in cipn severity and changes in circulating free cytokine levels prior to the initiation and at the end of ccrt. secondary aim 8. develop and assess predictive models for cipn severity midway, at the end of, and at least six months post-ccrt using demographic, clinical, and molecular characteristics collected prior the initiation of ccrt. exploratory aim 1 - evaluate the feasibility of the protocol for the collection of stool samples. exploratory aim 2 - evaluate the feasibility of processing and storing stool samples. exploratory aim 3 - evaluate the feasibility of processing and storing performing blood samples and performing cytometry by time of flight (cytof) assays.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * participants have not received any prior treatment (i.e., cancer systemic therapies or radiation therapy) in the past year except surgery. * participants receiving \>= 15 fractions. * participants is male or female and is \>18 years of age on the day of signing the informed consent. * ability to understand a written informed consent document. * able and willing to complete all of the study questionnaires and provide blood and stool samples prior to, midway, and following the completion of treatment. * willing to have medical records reviewed for clinical information. * able to read, write and understand english or spanish. exclusion criteria: * contraindication to phlebotomy for removal of approximately 50 ml of peripheral blood within 6 week period (institutional review board (irb) limit).

Keywords: basic science research