Clinical trial NCT00502502: Assessment of Symptom-Related Cytokines in Lung and Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Patients
Official title: Feasibility Study of the Assessment of Symptom-Related Cytokines in Lung and GI Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemoradiation Therapy
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Anal Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
Esophageal Cancer
Gastric Cancer
Lung Cancer
Keywords: Anal Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
Esophageal Cancer
Gastric Cancer
Lung Cancer
Questionnaire
Survey
Chemoradiation Therapy
Symptoms
Cytokines
Lead sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
First posted: 2007-07-17
Enrollment: 205
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: CASE_ONLY
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Study participants with lung, esophageal, gastric, colorectal or anal cancer.

Brief summary: Primary Objectives:

* To determine the feasibility of a study that would describe changes of certain circulating inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1, 6, 8, 10, 12, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha \[TNF\] and symptoms related to chemoradiation therapy (pre-therapy, during therapy and up to 3 months post-therapy) among patients with lung, esophageal, gastric, colorectal and anal cancer.
* To determine the feasibility of studying neurocognitive function in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at presentation and during chemoradiation therapy to determine the prevalence, severity, and pattern of cognitive symptoms.

Detailed description: One of the ways to learn about the symptoms of chemoradiation therapy is by looking at how certain proteins called cytokines (found in the blood) change during therapy. Another way is to look at how thinking and memory may be changed because of treatment.

Before therapy starts, you will be asked to complete several questionnaires during a visit to the Radiation Oncology clinic at M. D. Anderson. These questionnaires measure physical and emotional symptoms. These questionnaires should take about 30 minutes to finish. Lung cancer patients will also complete some cognitive (mental) questionnaires. During this visit, the research nurse will teach you how to use the telephone system for measuring symptoms. You will tell the system the most convenient times for the telephone calls. The date of the call will be at the same or close to the date of your weekly clinic visit.

Before you begin your chemoradiation treatments, you will have a sample of blood drawn (around 2½ tablespoons). The sample of blood will be used to measure levels of cytokines in your blood pre treatment.

You will have about 2½ tablespoons of blood drawn again when you start chemoradiation, and then once a week while you are receiving treatment. These cytokines may be related to symptoms experienced while having treatment for cancer. These blood tests are being done to study the levels of cytokines in your blood during, and after treatment for cancer.

Symptoms will be monitored weekly using an interactive voice response telephone system. During chemoradiation, the automated telephone system will call you once a week to ask you to rate your symptoms and how much the symptoms interfere in your daily life. The information collected by these calls is only being used for this research study.

At the end of the chemoradiation, lung cancer patients will again be given questionnaires to measure cognitive symptoms.

For lung cancer patients who are post-chemotherapy, your symptoms will be monitored weekly for 3 months after therapy using the interactive voice response telephone system. For esophageal, gastric, colorectal, and anal patients who are post-therapy, your symptoms will be monitored weekly for 6 weeks after therapy using the interactive voice response telephone system. About 30 days after chemoradiation, you will have 2½ tablespoons of blood drawn at your regularly scheduled clinic visit. If you are not scheduled for a 3 month clinic visit, we will contact your local physician for blood lab results.

This is an investigational study. About 225 evaluable patients will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at M. D. Anderson.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients scheduled for chemoradiation therapy at MDACC.
2. Adults \> 18 years of age.
3. Diagnosis of lung, esophageal, gastric, colorectal, or anal cancer.
4. English-speaking.
5. Lives in the United States.
6. Adequate vision and hearing to use the IVR system.
7. Provides written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with a current diagnosis of psychosis or dementia.
2. Patients who are unable to complete the assessment measures or refuse to participate.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Patient Symptom Assessment (Questionnaire)
timeFrame: Weekly for 1-3 months post-therapy
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Houston
country: United States
facility: UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
state: Texas
Study officials:
affiliation: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
name: Xin Shelley Wang, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: