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NCT Number: NCT03867760

Self-Management Interventions for Chronic Pain Relief With Cancer Survivors

Cancer survivors who suffer from chronic pain would benefit from a low-cost, self-management intervention they can use at home. This study will evaluate the efficacy of a recorded hypnosis intervention in reducing chronic pain among cancer survivors and will explore its biological and psychological mechanisms.

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Key information

Conditions

Chronic Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–90 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States

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About this study

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate if a 4-week recorded hypnosis intervention (RHI) works for reducing chronic pain in 100 adult cancer survivors who have completed active treatment. The RHI will be compared to an attention control condition (relaxation recording). qEEG measurement will be obtained while listening to the RHI at weeks 0, 2, and 4 to explore if brain states are related to hypnotic analgesia during the 4-week study period in 20 study participants.

The study has the following specific aims:

Aim 1: Does the RHI work? Evaluate the efficacy of RHI in reducing self-reported pain intensity (primary outcome), pain interference, anxiety, depression, fatigue and sleep disturbance (secondary outcomes) at 4 weeks compared to the attention control condition (relaxation recording). Hypothesis: RHI will significantly reduce pain intensity, pain interference, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbance at 4 weeks.

Aim 2: For whom does the RHI work? Examine if psychological factors (hypnotic suggestibility, mental absorption, treatment outcome expectancy, fear of cancer recurrence, resilience, self-efficacy) influence the relationship between RHI and pain intensity at weeks 0, 2, and 4.

Aim 3: How does the RHI work? a. Compare brain activity as measured by electroencephalogram (EEG) in cancer survivors with chronic pain (n=30) receiving the RHI relative to the attention control condition (relaxation recording) at weeks 0, 2, and 4. b. Explore the effects of brain activity on pain intensity at weeks 0, 2, and 4. In addition, structured interviews will be conducted with participants to understand facilitators and barriers associated with undergoing EEG at three time points and perceptions on how the intervention works to reduce pain.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • self-reporting moderate or higher pain on average during the last week (> 3 on a 0-10 pain intensity numeric scale)
  • self-reporting experiencing pain at least half of the days in the past 4 weeks
  • self-reporting chronic pain related to cancer or its treatment
  • completed active cancer treatment other than maintenance therapy
  • being > 18 years of age
  • functional fluency in English
  • mentally and physically able to participate and complete surveys

Exclusion criteria

  • has a psychiatric condition or symptoms (i.e., diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia or active paranoid delusional thoughts, as determined via a telephone or in-person screening assessment) that would interfere with study participation.

Exclusion criteria

for Optional EEG Measurement:

  • a history of seizure condition within the last year
  • a significant brain injury or skull defect
  • a history of brain cancer.

Treatment and study plan

Recorded Hypnosis Intervention

Behavioral

The RHI consists of four digital recordings developed by the investigator using standardized hypnosis scripts for pain reduction and uploaded to a MP3 player. The scripts were developed for patients with chronic pain and tested by a psychologist who is an expert in hypnosis research. Participants will listen to the recordings daily for 28 days in the prescribed order (4 recordings for 3 days each, and then any recording for the remaining 16 days). The script includes an induction, suggestions for how to access inner resources and manage pain, and post-hypnotic suggestions for permanence of hypnosis benefits and self-hypnosis practice.

Recorded Relaxation Intervention

Behavioral

The recorded relaxation intervention consists of four digital recordings developed by the investigator using standardized relaxation scripts and uploaded to a MP3 player. Participants will listen to the recordings daily for 28 days in the prescribed order (4 recordings for 3 days each, and then any recording for the remaining 16 days).

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Pain Intensity

    Time frame: Pre- to Post-treatment (4 weeks)

    The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) v.1.0, 1a - Pain Intensity; minimum value 0, maximum value 10; a lower score indicates a better outcome. A change between pre-treatment (baseline) and post-treatment (4 weeks) scores is reported.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Pain Interference

    Time frame: Pre- to Post-treatment (4 weeks)

    The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) Pain Interference Short Form 4v1.1 scores were converted to T-scores. T-scores of 50 indicates the U.S. population mean with a standard deviation of 10. A lower score indicates less pain interference. A change between pre-treatment (baseline) and post-treatment (4 weeks) scores is reported.

  2. Change in Anxiety

    Time frame: Pre- to Post-treatment (4 weeks)

    The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) Anxiety Short Form 4v1 scores were converted to T-scores. T-scores of 50 indicates the U.S. population mean with a standard deviation of 10. A lower score indicates less anxiety. A change between pre-treatment (baseline) and post-treatment (4 weeks) scores is reported.

  3. Change in Depression

    Time frame: Pre- to Post-treatment (4 weeks)

    The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) Depression Short Form 4v1 scores were converted to T-scores. T-scores of 50 indicates the U.S. population mean with a standard deviation of 10. A lower score indicates less depression. A change between pre-treatment (baseline) and post-treatment (4 weeks) scores is reported.

  4. Change in Fatigue

    Time frame: Pre- to Post-treatment (4 weeks)

    The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) Fatigue Short Form 4v1 scores were converted to T-scores. T-scores of 50 indicates the U.S. population mean with a standard deviation of 10. A lower score indicates less fatigue. A change between pre-treatment (baseline) and post-treatment (4 weeks) scores is reported.

  5. Change in Sleep Disturbance

    Time frame: Pre- to Post-treatment (4 weeks)

    The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) Sleep Disturbance Short Form 4v1 scores were converted to T-scores. T-scores of 50 indicates the U.S. population mean with a standard deviation of 10. A lower score indicates less sleep disturbance. A change between pre-treatment (baseline) and post-treatment (4 weeks) scores is reported.

Other outcomes

  1. Treatment Credibility and Expectancy

    Time frame: Pre-treatment

    Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire; minimum score = 0, maximum score = 60; a higher score indicates a better outcome. Pre-treatment (baseline) scores were calculated for hypnosis participants with a clinically meaningful improvement in pain intensity (change from pre-treatment to post-treatment of at least 2 points) and for hypnosis participants who did not have a clinically meaningful improvement in pain intensity.

  2. Change in Brain Activity

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks

    EEG measurement; measures brain activity while using study intervention. Participants underwent an EEG while listening to the assigned study intervention at three time points: pre-treatment (baseline), mid-treatment (2 weeks), and post-treatment (4 weeks).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Washington

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

Registry information

Official study title

Efficacy and Mechanistic Testing of a Self-Management Intervention for Managing Chronic Pain With Cancer Survivors

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Mar 8, 2019
Registry last updated
Nov 17, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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