Childhood CancerTRICCSNCT00636337
Inattention in Childhood Cancer Survivors
A study testing Attention Training in people with Childhood Cancer, run by Duke University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Specific Aim 1: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based, computerized cognitive training program with survivors of central nervous system-impacting pediatric cancer (e.g. acute lymphoblastic leukemia, brain tumors). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 8 to 16 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Childhood Cancer
- What is being tested?
- Attention Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 23 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Dec 2007to Nov 2012
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 8 to 16 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- A T-score greater than the 75th percentile on either the Cognitive Problems/Inattention or the DSM-IV Inattention subscales of the Conners' Parent Rating Scale
- One or more standard deviations below the mean on the Attention or Working Memory Indices of the WRAML 2 [56] or Attention or Working Memory Indices that are one or more standard deviations below the participant's estimated IQ. These criteria are similar to those used in a trial of methylphenidate with survivors of childhood cancer.
Who cannot join
- Estimated IQ ≤ 70
- A motor, visual, or auditory handicap that prevents computer use
- A diagnosis of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder, depression, autism, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- Insufficient fluency in English. Participants who are currently taking stimulant medications (stable dose for at least 30 days) for attentional difficulties, but who meet inclusion criteria listed below will be allowed to participate.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Duke University Medical Center Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center
Durham, North Carolina, 27710
About this study
Official title: TRICCS: Targeting Inattention in Childhood Cancer Survivors
Specific Aim 1: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based, computerized cognitive training program with survivors of central nervous system-impacting pediatric cancer (e.g. acute lymphoblastic leukemia, brain tumors).
Specific Aim 2: To estimate the effect size of this cognitive training program on measures of attention and working memory in survivors of childhood cancer in order to determine whether a larger-scale clinical trial is warranted.
Read the detailed description
After obtaining written informed consent (parent) and assent (child), screening procedures will include administration of an abbreviated intellectual test battery, a working memory battery, and a computerized attention measure to the survivor (see specific Measures below). Our goal is to enroll 24 (12 ALL, 12 brain tumor) participants in the intervention phase of this prospective pilot study. To reach this goal, we anticipate needing to screen approximately 50 survivors, though enrollment will end when, or continue until, 24 eligible participants are identified and randomized to the intervention phase. Parents will complete questionnaire measures regarding their child's adaptive, behavioral, emotional, and attentional functioning. Follow-up interviewing will be conducted to clarify any potential problems identified on the questionnaires. The entire screening procedure is estimated to take approximately 90 minutes for the survivor and 30-45 minutes for parents. To maximize efficiency, two study personnel will work with families - one will complete testing with the child, while the other will complete questionnaires and follow-up interviewing with the parent. The design will be a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which half of the participants will be randomized to the intervention condition and half will receive a comparison computer program. Specifically, participants assigned to the comparison (placebo) condition will complete a modified version of the CT at home. The treatment and comparison CT programs begin identically, at the lowest difficulty level. Those in the treatment condition will complete activities of increasing difficulty over the intervention period. Those in the placebo condition, in contrast, will complete the same basic tasks during each session of the intervention, regardless of performance. In this way, a true estimate can be obtained of the efficacy of the treatment program.
- Conditions
- Childhood Cancer
- Being tested
- Attention Training, Placebo
- Keywords
- Pediatric, Brain Tumor, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Inattention, Childhood cancer survivors
- Medical subject headings
- Neoplasms, Brain Neoplasms, Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Attention TrainingBehavioural
Also called TRICCS, RoboMemo
Computer program training for attention difficulties.
PlaceboBehavioural
Comparison computer program
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Experimental | Participants meeting inclusion criteria will be provided with a laptop computer outfitted with a wireless card for the duration of the intervention and will be trained in the use of RoboMemo in the clinic by study personnel. Although many participants may have ready access to home computers, we decided that all participants will be required to use laptops provided by the study for two reasons: 1) to ensure that coaches and participants are blind to treatment condition (as described above), and 2) to ensure that participants will always have access to the intervention program (i.e., they will not compete with other family members for computer time). Once trained, children will complete the intervention at home. The intervention will consist of four 30- to 45-minute sessions per week for 8 weeks (total = 32 sessions). This intervention schedule is similar to the schedule employed by Klingberg and colleagues in their home-based CT trials with ADHD children. Receives: Behavioral: Attention Training |
| 2 | Placebo comparator | The design will be a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which half of the participants will be randomized to the intervention condition and half will receive a comparison computer program. Specifically, participants assigned to the comparison (placebo) condition will complete a modified version of the CT at home. The treatment and comparison CT programs begin identically, at the lowest difficulty level. Those in the treatment condition will complete activities of increasing difficulty over the intervention period. Those in the placebo condition, in contrast, will complete the same basic tasks during each session of the intervention, regardless of performance. In this way, a true estimate can be obtained of the efficacy of the treatment program. Receives: Behavioral: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Memory
Measured: 2 months and 3 months
Secondary outcomes (1)
Feasibility
Measured: once a month for 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Mar 2008 (estimated)
- Study startDec 2007
- Primary completionJun 2010
- Study completionNov 2012
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Childhood CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Duke UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 23 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Duke University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Kristi Hardy, PhD, Principal investigator, Duke University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00636337
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Pro00003249
- Acronym
- TRICCS
- Status last verified
- Feb 2013
- First submitted
- 28 Feb 2008
- Last updated
- 18 Feb 2013
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Feb 2013. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- TRICCS: Targeting Inattention in Childhood Cancer Survivors
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00636337
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- TRICCS / Pro00003249
- Conditions
- Childhood Cancer
- Keywords
- Pediatric, Brain Tumor, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Inattention, Childhood cancer survivors
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 23 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Duke UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Study start
- Dec 2007
- Primary completion
- Jun 2010 (actual)
- Study completion
- Nov 2012 (actual)
- First posted
- 14 Mar 2008 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Specific Aim 1: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based, computerized cognitive training program with survivors of central nervous system-impacting pediatric cancer (e.g. acute lymphoblastic leukemia, brain tumors).
Specific Aim 2: To estimate the effect size of this cognitive training program on measures of attention and working memory in survivors of childhood cancer in order to determine whether a larger-scale clinical trial is warranted.
Detailed description
After obtaining written informed consent (parent) and assent (child), screening procedures will include administration of an abbreviated intellectual test battery, a working memory battery, and a computerized attention measure to the survivor (see specific Measures below). Our goal is to enroll 24 (12 ALL, 12 brain tumor) participants in the intervention phase of this prospective pilot study. To reach this goal, we anticipate needing to screen approximately 50 survivors, though enrollment will end when, or continue until, 24 eligible participants are identified and randomized to the intervention phase. Parents will complete questionnaire measures regarding their child's adaptive, behavioral, emotional, and attentional functioning. Follow-up interviewing will be conducted to clarify any potential problems identified on the questionnaires. The entire screening procedure is estimated to take approximately 90 minutes for the survivor and 30-45 minutes for parents. To maximize efficiency, two study personnel will work with families - one will complete testing with the child, while the other will complete questionnaires and follow-up interviewing with the parent. The design will be a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which half of the participants will be randomized to the intervention condition and half will receive a comparison computer program. Specifically, participants assigned to the comparison (placebo) condition will complete a modified version of the CT at home. The treatment and comparison CT programs begin identically, at the lowest difficulty level. Those in the treatment condition will complete activities of increasing difficulty over the intervention period. Those in the placebo condition, in contrast, will complete the same basic tasks during each session of the intervention, regardless of performance. In this way, a true estimate can be obtained of the efficacy of the treatment program.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Experimental | Behavioral: Attention TrainingParticipants meeting inclusion criteria will be provided with a laptop computer outfitted with a wireless card for the duration of the intervention and will be trained in the use of RoboMemo in the clinic by study personnel. Although many participants may have ready access to home computers, we decided that all participants will be required to use laptops provided by the study for two reasons: 1) to ensure that coaches and participants are blind to treatment condition (as described above), and 2) to ensure that participants will always have access to the intervention program (i.e., they will not compete with other family members for computer time). Once trained, children will complete the intervention at home. The intervention will consist of four 30- to 45-minute sessions per week for 8 weeks (total = 32 sessions). This intervention schedule is similar to the schedule employed by Klingberg and colleagues in their home-based CT trials with ADHD children. |
| 2 | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: PlaceboThe design will be a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which half of the participants will be randomized to the intervention condition and half will receive a comparison computer program. Specifically, participants assigned to the comparison (placebo) condition will complete a modified version of the CT at home. The treatment and comparison CT programs begin identically, at the lowest difficulty level. Those in the treatment condition will complete activities of increasing difficulty over the intervention period. Those in the placebo condition, in contrast, will complete the same basic tasks during each session of the intervention, regardless of performance. In this way, a true estimate can be obtained of the efficacy of the treatment program. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 8 to 16 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- A T-score greater than the 75th percentile on either the Cognitive Problems/Inattention or the DSM-IV Inattention subscales of the Conners' Parent Rating Scale
- One or more standard deviations below the mean on the Attention or Working Memory Indices of the WRAML 2 [56] or Attention or Working Memory Indices that are one or more standard deviations below the participant's estimated IQ. These criteria are similar to those used in a trial of methylphenidate with survivors of childhood cancer.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Estimated IQ ≤ 70
- A motor, visual, or auditory handicap that prevents computer use
- A diagnosis of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder, depression, autism, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- Insufficient fluency in English. Participants who are currently taking stimulant medications (stable dose for at least 30 days) for attentional difficulties, but who meet inclusion criteria listed below will be allowed to participate.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Attention TrainingAlso: TRICCS, RoboMemoComputer program training for attention difficulties. | Behavioural | 1 |
| PlaceboComparison computer program | Behavioural | 2 |
Primary outcome
Memory
Time frame: 2 months and 3 months
1 secondary outcome
Feasibility
Time frame: once a month for 3 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 Feb 2013.
Related trials for Childhood Cancer
Active, not recruitingPhase 1/2
Selumetinib in Treating Young Patients With Recurrent or Refractory Low Grade Glioma
Low Grade Glioma, Recurrent Childhood Pilocytic Astrocytoma
RecruitingObservational study
Psychological Benefits of a Normalized Camping Experience for Children With Cancer
Pediatric Cancer
Recruiting
An Exploratory Study to Evaluate Immune Determinants of the Response to Adoptive Cell Therapy (ACT) in Solid and Hematologic Tumors
Solid Tumor, Adult, Solid Tumor, Childhood
RecruitingObservational study
The Decision To Enroll In Therapeutic Clinical Trials In A Pediatric Cancer Clinical Network
Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Recruiting
Facial Expression Awareness Training to Understand and Recognize Emotions
Survivors of Pediatric Brain Tumors, Pediatric Cancer
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Kristi Hardy, PhD principal investigator
Duke University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Attention Training in people with Childhood Cancer, run by Duke University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Feb 2013. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Memory (time frame: 2 months and 3 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Feb 2013.