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Brain Cancer5C-pilotNCT04501731

Controlling Coordination After Childhood Cerebellar Cancer, a Pilot Study

An observational study of Brain Cancer, run by University of Nottingham at 1 site in United Kingdom.

Unknown status

Status not confirmed. The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.

Official record
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Trial summary

Posterior fossa tumours (PFT) account for 2/3 of childhood brain cancers. They can be highly malignant requiring combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy post-surgery for a >50% chance of cure. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 16 to 22 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Brain Cancer
What is being tested?
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Motor assessment
How many people
10 participants
Where
1 siteUnited Kingdom
Study dates
28 Apr 2022to 31 Dec 2022
How long will I take part?
1 Day
Phase
Observational
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 16 to 22 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child, Adult

Study population: 4 participants with history of PFT (no history of seizure, no current cancer treatment) 6 healthy controls (no history of brain injury)

Who may be able to join

  • Able to undergo MRI scan without sedation or general anaesthetic
  • Able to give informed consent.

Who cannot join

  • History of seizure
  • Current cancer or post surgery treatment
  • Contraindication to TMS or MRI
  • Pregnancy

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Caroline Blanchard contact

caroline.blanchard@nottingham.ac.uk

United Kingdom1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Queen's Medical Centre

    Nottingham

    Madhumati Dandapani

    Recruiting

Other trials in United Kingdom

About this study

Official title: Controlling Coordination After Childhood Cerebellar Cancer - Pilot Study

Posterior fossa tumours (PFT) account for 2/3 of childhood brain cancers. They can be highly malignant requiring combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy post-surgery for a >50% chance of cure. PFT frequently involve the cerebellum which is responsible for coordinating movement, balance, emotional control, and links closely to control of affect and executive function. PFT survivors show highly variable profiles for cognitive and sensorimotor functioning which are influenced strongly by the severity of the pre-diagnostic or post-surgical brain injury

State-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can allow to measure a variety of different biological processes in the brain, and the investigators believe that some of these MRI measures (called MRI biomarkers) have the potential to improve our ability to understand and monitor consequences of the ablative brain surgery and complex mechanisms of motor skills recovery. Biomarkers are very important for the development of intervention because 1) they help understand the recuperation process and 2) they allow to effectively assess whether or not a treatment or intervention works.

Read more

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a powerful non-invasive neuro-modulatory intervention that has the potential to evaluate the integrity of the nervous tracts from the brain to the hand. It is a procedure that applies magnetic pulses on the surface of the scalp to reach underlying brain tissue. TMS has built a reputable status among neuro-rehabilitative research, and there is currently a major effort to translate the positive research findings into clinically useful therapeutic strategies.

This study is therefore an important first step towards understanding how potential MRI biomarkers and responses to TMS relate to motor symptoms in PFT young survivors. Once completed, this study will allow the investigators to select the most promising MRI biomarkers and TMS protocols to take forward into future treatment trials. The investigators aim to stimulate the recovery of coordination skills, help the development of targeted therapies, and consequently improve long-term quality of life in children and young people with history of brain tumour.

The proposed research intends to prove the feasibility of such brain stimulation and imaging and collect some preliminary measures

Conditions
Brain Cancer
Being tested
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Motor assessment, Questionnaires
Keywords
Motor recovery, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Paediatric, Cerebellum, Posterior Fossa Tumour
Medical subject headings
Brain Neoplasms

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)Other

    With the TMS session we gather information about nerve fibres from the brain to the hand. It will last around 2 hours and 30 minutes.

  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)Other

    With the MRI scan we will gather information about the brain structure and function. This will last around 30 minutes.

  • Motor assessmentOther

    The motor assessment includes a pegboard game, a "grab the alien nose" game and measure of your maximum grip force. In total it will last around 30 minutes.

  • QuestionnairesOther

    Feasibility, tolerability of such intervention as well as quality of life of PFT survivors will be assessed thanks to questionnaires.

Study groups in NCT04501731
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Young PFT survivorsNot described
Receives: Other: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS); Other: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI); Other: Motor assessment; Other: Questionnaires
Age-matching controlsNot described
Receives: Other: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS); Other: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI); Other: Motor assessment

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. 5C-pilot Satisfaction Questionnaire

    Participants rating their experience of MRI, TMS and motor assessment

    Measured: 6 months

  2. Completion rate of the sessions of TMS, MRI and motor tasks

    Measure of quality of MRI images (participants motion) - Feasibility will be confirmed if 50% or more of these participants complete the TMS session

    Measured: 6 months

Secondary outcomes (13)
  1. Anatomical MRI metrics (PFT vs control)

    Cerebellar volumetry and cerebellar parcellation - after surgery (mm3)

    Measured: 1 year

  2. fMRI metrics (PFT vs control)

    Functional connectivity within sensorimotor network (activation map)

    Measured: 1 year

  3. Diffusion MRI metrics (PFT vs control)

    Anatomical connectivity within sensorimotor network (tractography)

    Measured: 1 year

  4. Single-pulse TMS metrics (PFT vs control)

    Resting motor threshold (Stimulus intensity expressed as a percentage of maximal stimulator output)

    Measured: 1 year

  5. Single-pulse TMS metrics (PFT vs control)

    input-output curve

    Measured: 1 year

  6. Single-pulse TMS metrics (PFT vs control)

    Silent period (ms)

    Measured: 1 year

  7. Single-pulse TMS metrics (PFT vs control)

    Short-afferent inhibition

    Measured: 1 year

  8. Dual-pulse TMS metrics (PFT vs control)

    Intracortical \& long-latency inhibition and facilitation

    Measured: 1 year

  9. Dual-pulse TMS metrics (PFT vs control)

    cerebellar-motor inhibition

    Measured: 1 year

  10. Motor performance (PFT vs control) - Reaching and grasping task

    Kinematic parameters of movement

    Measured: 1 year

  11. Motor performance (PFT vs control) - Grooved pegboard

    Score

    Measured: 1 year

  12. Motor performance (PFT vs control) - Grip force

    Maximum force (N)

    Measured: 1 year

  13. Quality of life of PFT survivors: FACT-Peds-Br Questionnaire

    FACT-Peds-Br Pediatric Questionnaire - For patients with Brain cancer

    Measured: 6 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted6 Aug 2020
  2. Study start28 Apr 2022
  3. Primary completion30 Jul 2022 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2022 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrolment
10 participants (estimated)
Target duration
1 Day
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04501731
Sponsor's protocol ID
20047
Acronym
5C-pilot
Status last verified
Sep 2021
First submitted
23 Jul 2020
Last updated
25 May 2022
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Brain Cancer, run by University of Nottingham at 1 site in United Kingdom.

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: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 May 2022. 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 Kingdom. 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. 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?

Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Caroline Blanchard (caroline.blanchard@nottingham.ac.uk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

5C-pilot Satisfaction Questionnaire (time frame: 6 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. 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 25 May 2022.

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