Head and Neck CancerNCT05570851
Alcohol Cessation Among Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
A study testing Alcohol Cessation Text Messages in people with Head and Neck Cancer and Alcohol Use, Unspecified, run by Northwell Health at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Head-and-neck cancers (HNC) account for 4 percent of cancer diagnoses in the United States and for more than 66,000 annual cancer diagnoses. The prevalence rate of HNC among Veterans is 150% higher than the rate in the general population. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Head and Neck Cancer, Alcohol Use, Unspecified
- What is being tested?
- Alcohol Cessation Text Messages
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 126 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Dec 2023to 23 Mar 2026
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adult male or female patients 18 years or older
- Diagnosed with primary cancer of: pharynx (nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx), larynx (all subsites), oral cavity (all subsites)
- Having completed surgical, radiation, and/or chemotherapy treatment;
- Post-treatment completion status of at least 3 months;
- Able to communicate and read in English;
- Possess a telephone with text messaging capability; and
- Confirmation of alcohol consumption.
Who cannot join
- Non-English speaker
- Non-drinker
- Previously enrolled in adaption phase focus-groups to determine intervention content
- Clinically significant depression, as indicated by an assessment of ≥ 16 on the CES-D 11-item Iowa short form scale
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research
Manhasset, New York, 11030
About this study
Official title: Alcohol Cessation Among Head and Neck Cancer Survivors: A Pilot RCT of a Tailored Text Message Based Intervention
Head-and-neck cancers (HNC) account for 4 percent of cancer diagnoses in the United States and for more than 66,000 annual cancer diagnoses. The prevalence rate of HNC among Veterans is 150% higher than the rate in the general population. Together with smoking, alcohol drinking is a major risk factor for HNC, responsible for approximately one-third of the cases worldwide. Overwhelming evidence from population-based studies show that alcohol drinking significantly increases the risk of recurrence of the primary HNC and of second primary malignancies, as well as negatively impacts HNC survivors' psychosocial health. Hence, several organizations (i.e., American Cancer Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the World Cancer Research Fund) have issued guidelines recommending that individuals with HNC reduce or avoid alcohol altogether. Despite these recommendations, a substantial proportion of HNC survivors continue to use alcohol.
The overall goal of the proposed research is to:
Read more
- Adapt an existing evidence-based text message alcohol cessation intervention for HNC survivors in both civilian and VA settings (i.e., at two sites, Northwell Health and the Brooklyn VA Medical Center); and
- Preliminarily evaluate, in a two-arm pilot RCT, the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of the intervention, as well as feasibility of conduct a future RCT.
The investigators hypothesize that:
- H1: The tailored text-message intervention will be 1) feasible to evaluate in a large-scale RCT, defined as achieving an enrollment rate of ≥70% in this pilot; and 2) acceptable to participants, defined as a score ≥4 on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely" acceptable.
- H2: Compared to the control condition of alcohol assessment and feedback (AF), the tailored text messages will result in a 30% increase in cessation among survivors (assuming also a 20% increase in cessation in the AF arm).
Read the detailed description
HNC survivors (baseline N=138) will be enrolled from Northwell Health and the Brooklyn VA Medical Center, at the 3-month post treatment completion follow-up visit, when alcohol resumption is most likely to occur according to pilot data. The investigators will randomize survivors to either the control condition (AF; n=69) or the text message arm, consisting of: AF plus HNC tailored texts for civilians (n=34) and AF plus HNC tailored texts for Veterans (n=35), for a total of n = 69. The investigators expect 15% attrition over 6 months for a final sample size of N=120. The study's primary outcome is alcohol cessation at 6 months post-baseline. Secondary outcomes are: feasibility of enrolling patients (consenting 70% of eligible approached patients), acceptability of the text messages (a score ≥4 on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely" acceptable), and improved psychosocial functioning (improved QOL, and decreased depression, social isolation, loneliness).
If patients are interested, the HNC survivor will meet with a member of the study team to give informed consent, record baseline data, and assess drinking patterns with the AUDIT questionnaire and the Time-Line Follow Back (TLFB) alcohol use assessment procedure. The study staff will access provide alcohol use feedback and randomize the participant to either the active comparator (usual care) or the intervention text messaging arm. Block randomization will occur to ensure that an even number of civilian and Veteran HNC survivors will be allocated to both conditions, and that even numbers per condition across sites are maintained overall.
Usual care at both study sites is to provide general information about smoking and alcohol. For the present study, the investigators will enhance this usual care by assessing alcohol use systematically with the AUDIT questionnaire and the TLFB to obtain an accurate assessment of drinking. Regardless of drinking level, the patient will receive feedback about the reported alcohol consumption. The feedback will emphasize that, according to leading medical associations, any consumption of alcohol is not advisable for cancer survivors, as continued alcohol use is associated with a higher risk of cancer recurrence and reduced quality of life. A sample feedback statement is "one or two drinks might not seem much, but it can increase the participant's chances of cancer recurrence". Non-drinkers will be told to continue to abstain from consuming alcohol. Smoking cessation information is also part of usual care. Patients will be urged to stop smoking and referred to a smoking cessation program if so desired. The investigators will further remind patients to complete two follow-up questionnaires, one at 3 and one at 6 months post baseline, during scheduled follow-up visits. No further effort will be required, but patients randomized to the control condition will be offered the HNC text messages after completing all study procedures.
Survivors randomized into the intervention condition will receive usual care (described above) plus HNC tailored alcohol cessation text messages tailored for the general public or specifically designed for veterans, depending on recruitment site (Northwell vs. VA, respectively). Survivors will receive messages three times a week, usually during the late afternoon/early evening period, when the risk of alcohol drinking is greatest. Messages will be delivered for 3 months.
Demographic information, personal and family health history, and treatment type will be assessed. Patient will report any alcohol and smoking cessation advice they might have received from physicians. Overall health will be assessed with the SF-12 questionnaire. In addition, the AUDIT and TLFB will be used to assess frequency of alcohol use during the previous three months. Feasibility of a future RCT will be assessed through the number of survivors recruited vs. approached (enrollment rate threshold of 70%), Acceptability of the intervention will be determined through a positive evaluation of intervention (mean value of 4 on a 5-point scale, with higher values = higher acceptability). The primary outcome will be assessed using the TFLB interview, which will be converted into a binary drinking/no-drinking variable. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, depression, social isolation, and loneliness.
The primary goal of the proposed work is to assess the acceptability of the proposed intervention, to estimate effect sizes for the two arms, as well as to determine feasibility of a future RCT. For the estimation of effect sizes for the primary measure of alcohol cessation, the needed sample size is 138 survivors, equally divided among AF and the intervention arm (n = 69 each) across the two sites. The sample size is not powered to detect a statistically significant difference between the intervention and AF arms. It will provide investigators, however, with effect size estimates to power a future RCT. The current sample size is based on well-established literature that pilot studies should accrue at least 10% of the patients needed for a fully powered trial. Based on the prior literature, the investigators assume that the rate of abstinence in the AF arm will be 20%, and among the text arm 30%. Thus, the investigators estimate an average effect size of 10% between AF and the text conditions. These effect sizes are considered small (h=0.2) and would be clinically meaningful.
- Conditions
- Head and Neck Cancer, Alcohol Use, Unspecified
- Being tested
- Alcohol Cessation Text Messages, Usual Care
- Keywords
- Head and Neck Cancer, Veterans Health, Substance Abuse, Quality of life, Depression, Social Isolation, Loneliness, Alcohol Cessation, Alcohol Drinking
- Medical subject headings
- Head and Neck Neoplasms, Alcohol Drinking, Substance-Related Disorders, Depression, Social Isolation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Alcohol Cessation Text MessagesBehavioural
Intervention condition will consist of a text message program designed to promote alcohol cessation tailored to HNC patients and targeted to VA or Civilian populations in addition to usual-care-advice.
Usual CareBehavioural
Control condition will consist of a provider-delivered alcohol cessation intervention with usual-care-advice.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Active comparator | Usual Care Receives: Behavioral: Usual Care |
| Intervention | Experimental | Text Message Based Program Receives: Behavioral: Alcohol Cessation Text Messages |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Alcohol Cessation Six Months From Baseline
Survivors will self-report the amount of alcohol they are consuming at the 6 month follow-up assessment using the Time-Line Follow Back (TFLB) interview, a semi-structured interview designed to collect information about survivors' daily substance use. The TLFB was validated in 1996 and has demonstrated good test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and agreement with collateral reports of alcohol abuse. Participants will be asked to report their substance use over the prior 4 weeks via phone or electronic survey. Responses will be converted to a binary outcome of drinking reported or no drinking reported. Fewer participants reporting alcohol use would be considered success.
Measured: Six Months From Baseline
Secondary outcomes (13)
Alcohol Cessation Three Months From Baseline
Survivors will self-report the amount of alcohol they are consuming at the 3 month follow-up assessment using the Time-Line Follow Back (TFLB interview), a semi-structured interview designed to collect information about survivors' daily substance use. The TLFB was validated in 1996 and has demonstrated good test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and agreement with collateral reports of alcohol abuse. Participants will be asked to report their substance use over the prior 4 weeks via phone or electronic survey. Responses will be converted to a binary outcome of drinking reported or no drinking reported. Fewer participants reporting alcohol use would be considered success.
Measured: Three Months From Baseline
Quality Of Life (QoL) at Baseline
Quality of life will be assessed with the Head and Neck Quality of Life instrument, a 20-item Likert scale measure that evaluates quality of life related to eating, communication, pain, and emotion in the last 4 weeks. This measure has been validated with both civilian and VA populations. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the baseline assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted. The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Lower scores indicate less impairment on quality of life.
Measured: Baseline
Quality Of Life (QoL) Three Months From Baseline
Quality of life will be assessed with the Head and Neck Quality of Life instrument, a 20-item Likert scale measure that evaluates quality of life related to eating, communication, pain, and emotion in the last 4 weeks. This measure has been validated with both civilian and VA populations. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the 3 month follow-up assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted. The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Lower scores indicate less impairment on quality of life.
Measured: Three Months From Baseline
Quality Of Life (QoL) Six Months From Baseline
Quality of life will be assessed with the Head and Neck Quality of Life instrument, a 20-item Likert scale measure that evaluates quality of life related to eating, communication, pain, and emotion in the last 4 weeks. This measure has been validated with both civilian and VA populations. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the 6 month follow-up assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted. The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Lower scores indicate less impairment on quality of life.
Measured: Six Months From Baseline
Depression at Baseline
Depression will be evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) 2-item version, a brief and accurate measurement of the core symptoms/signs of depression and will be used to help assess patients' quality of life. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the baseline assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted.The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Higher scores indicate increased symptoms of depression.
Measured: Baseline
Depression Three Months From Baseline
Depression will be evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) 2-item version, a brief and accurate measurement of the core symptoms/signs of depression and will be used to help assess patients' quality of life. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the 3 month follow-up assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted.The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Higher scores indicate increased symptoms of depression.
Measured: Three Months From Baseline
Depression Six Months From Baseline
Depression will be evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) 2-item version, a brief and accurate measurement of the core symptoms/signs of depression and will be used to help assess patients' quality of life. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the 6 month follow-up assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted.The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Higher scores indicate increased symptoms of depression.
Measured: Six Months From Baseline
Social Isolation Baseline
Social isolation will be evaluated with the 6-item Lubben Social Network Scale, a validated instrument designed to gauge social isolation in older samples by measuring the number and frequency of social contacts with friends and family members. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the baseline assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted. The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Higher scores indicate a larger social network.
Measured: Baseline
Social Isolation Three Months From Baseline
Social isolation will be evaluated with the 6-item Lubben Social Network Scale, a validated instrument designed to gauge social isolation in older samples by measuring the number and frequency of social contacts with friends and family members. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the 3 month assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted. The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Higher scores indicate a larger social network.
Measured: Three Months From Baseline
Social Isolation Six Months From Baseline
Social isolation will be evaluated with the 6-item Lubben Social Network Scale, a validated instrument designed to gauge social isolation in older samples by measuring the number and frequency of social contacts with friends and family members. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the 6 month assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted. The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Higher scores indicate a larger social network.
Measured: Six Months From Baseline
Loneliness at Baseline
Loneliness will be evaluated with the 6-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, a reliable and valid continuous measure for overall, emotional and social loneliness. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the baseline assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted. The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Higher scores indicate increased loneliness.
Measured: Baseline
Loneliness Three Months From Baseline
Loneliness will be evaluated with the 6-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, a reliable and valid continuous measure for overall, emotional and social loneliness. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the 3 month assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted. The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Higher scores indicate increased loneliness.
Measured: Three Months From Baseline
Loneliness Six Months From Baseline
Loneliness will be evaluated with the 6-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, a reliable and valid continuous measure for overall, emotional and social loneliness. This survey will be administered via phone or electronic survey during the 6 month assessment. Univariate and descriptive analyses will be performed and normalizing and/or variance stabilizing transformations will be conducted. The investigators will examine the data for outliers and use descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data characterization. Higher scores indicate increased loneliness.
Measured: Six Months From Baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Oct 2022
- Study start1 Dec 2023
- Primary completion23 Mar 2026
- Study completion23 Mar 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Head and Neck CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Northwell HealthThe 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
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The study model is a randomized control pilot trial consisting of two arms, control and intervention group. Control condition will consist of a provider-delivered alcohol cessation intervention with usual-care-advice. The intervention condition will consist of a text based intervention designed to promote alcohol cessation in addition to usual-care-advice.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 126 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Northwell Health
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- United States Department of Defense, VA Medical Center-Brooklyn
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Michael Diefenbach, PhD, Principal investigator, Northwell Health
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05570851
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 22-0362
- Other IDs
- W81XWH-22-1-0186
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 4 Oct 2022
- Last updated
- 5 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Researchers can contact the PI in order to request de-identified individual participant data (IPD).
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Alcohol Cessation Among Head and Neck Cancer Survivors: A Pilot RCT of a Tailored Text Message Based Intervention
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05570851
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 22-0362
- Conditions
- Head and Neck Cancer, Alcohol Use, Unspecified
- Keywords
- Head and Neck Cancer, Veterans Health, Substance Abuse, Quality of life, Depression, Social Isolation, Loneliness, Alcohol Cessation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 126 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Northwell HealthUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- United States Department of Defense, VA Medical Center-Brooklyn
- Study start
- 1 Dec 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 23 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 23 Mar 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 7 Oct 2022 (actual)
- 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.
Head-and-neck cancers (HNC) account for 4 percent of cancer diagnoses in the United States and for more than 66,000 annual cancer diagnoses. The prevalence rate of HNC among Veterans is 150% higher than the rate in the general population. Together with smoking, alcohol drinking is a major risk factor for HNC, responsible for approximately one-third of the cases worldwide. Overwhelming evidence from population-based studies show that alcohol drinking significantly increases the risk of recurrence of the primary HNC and of second primary malignancies, as well as negatively impacts HNC survivors' psychosocial health. Hence, several organizations (i.e., American Cancer Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the World Cancer Research Fund) have issued guidelines recommending that individuals with HNC reduce or avoid alcohol altogether. Despite these recommendations, a substantial proportion of HNC survivors continue to use alcohol.
The overall goal of the proposed research is to:
- Adapt an existing evidence-based text message alcohol cessation intervention for HNC survivors in both civilian and VA settings (i.e., at two sites, Northwell Health and the Brooklyn VA Medical Center); and
- Preliminarily evaluate, in a two-arm pilot RCT, the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of the intervention, as well as feasibility of conduct a future RCT.
The investigators hypothesize that:
- H1: The tailored text-message intervention will be 1) feasible to evaluate in a large-scale RCT, defined as achieving an enrollment rate of ≥70% in this pilot; and 2) acceptable to participants, defined as a score ≥4 on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely" acceptable.
- H2: Compared to the control condition of alcohol assessment and feedback (AF), the tailored text messages will result in a 30% increase in cessation among survivors (assuming also a 20% increase in cessation in the AF arm).
Detailed description
HNC survivors (baseline N=138) will be enrolled from Northwell Health and the Brooklyn VA Medical Center, at the 3-month post treatment completion follow-up visit, when alcohol resumption is most likely to occur according to pilot data. The investigators will randomize survivors to either the control condition (AF; n=69) or the text message arm, consisting of: AF plus HNC tailored texts for civilians (n=34) and AF plus HNC tailored texts for Veterans (n=35), for a total of n = 69. The investigators expect 15% attrition over 6 months for a final sample size of N=120. The study's primary outcome is alcohol cessation at 6 months post-baseline. Secondary outcomes are: feasibility of enrolling patients (consenting 70% of eligible approached patients), acceptability of the text messages (a score ≥4 on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely" acceptable), and improved psychosocial functioning (improved QOL, and decreased depression, social isolation, loneliness).
If patients are interested, the HNC survivor will meet with a member of the study team to give informed consent, record baseline data, and assess drinking patterns with the AUDIT questionnaire and the Time-Line Follow Back (TLFB) alcohol use assessment procedure. The study staff will access provide alcohol use feedback and randomize the participant to either the active comparator (usual care) or the intervention text messaging arm. Block randomization will occur to ensure that an even number of civilian and Veteran HNC survivors will be allocated to both conditions, and that even numbers per condition across sites are maintained overall.
Usual care at both study sites is to provide general information about smoking and alcohol. For the present study, the investigators will enhance this usual care by assessing alcohol use systematically with the AUDIT questionnaire and the TLFB to obtain an accurate assessment of drinking. Regardless of drinking level, the patient will receive feedback about the reported alcohol consumption. The feedback will emphasize that, according to leading medical associations, any consumption of alcohol is not advisable for cancer survivors, as continued alcohol use is associated with a higher risk of cancer recurrence and reduced quality of life. A sample feedback statement is "one or two drinks might not seem much, but it can increase the participant's chances of cancer recurrence". Non-drinkers will be told to continue to abstain from consuming alcohol. Smoking cessation information is also part of usual care. Patients will be urged to stop smoking and referred to a smoking cessation program if so desired. The investigators will further remind patients to complete two follow-up questionnaires, one at 3 and one at 6 months post baseline, during scheduled follow-up visits. No further effort will be required, but patients randomized to the control condition will be offered the HNC text messages after completing all study procedures.
Survivors randomized into the intervention condition will receive usual care (described above) plus HNC tailored alcohol cessation text messages tailored for the general public or specifically designed for veterans, depending on recruitment site (Northwell vs. VA, respectively). Survivors will receive messages three times a week, usually during the late afternoon/early evening period, when the risk of alcohol drinking is greatest. Messages will be delivered for 3 months.
Demographic information, personal and family health history, and treatment type will be assessed. Patient will report any alcohol and smoking cessation advice they might have received from physicians. Overall health will be assessed with the SF-12 questionnaire. In addition, the AUDIT and TLFB will be used to assess frequency of alcohol use during the previous three months. Feasibility of a future RCT will be assessed through the number of survivors recruited vs. approached (enrollment rate threshold of 70%), Acceptability of the intervention will be determined through a positive evaluation of intervention (mean value of 4 on a 5-point scale, with higher values = higher acceptability). The primary outcome will be assessed using the TFLB interview, which will be converted into a binary drinking/no-drinking variable. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, depression, social isolation, and loneliness.
The primary goal of the proposed work is to assess the acceptability of the proposed intervention, to estimate effect sizes for the two arms, as well as to determine feasibility of a future RCT. For the estimation of effect sizes for the primary measure of alcohol cessation, the needed sample size is 138 survivors, equally divided among AF and the intervention arm (n = 69 each) across the two sites. The sample size is not powered to detect a statistically significant difference between the intervention and AF arms. It will provide investigators, however, with effect size estimates to power a future RCT. The current sample size is based on well-established literature that pilot studies should accrue at least 10% of the patients needed for a fully powered trial. Based on the prior literature, the investigators assume that the rate of abstinence in the AF arm will be 20%, and among the text arm 30%. Thus, the investigators estimate an average effect size of 10% between AF and the text conditions. These effect sizes are considered small (h=0.2) and would be clinically meaningful.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The study model is a randomized control pilot trial consisting of two arms, control and intervention group. Control condition will consist of a provider-delivered alcohol cessation intervention with usual-care-advice. The intervention condition will consist of a text based intervention designed to promote alcohol cessation in addition to usual-care-advice.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Active comparator | Behavioral: Usual CareUsual Care |
| Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Alcohol Cessation Text MessagesText Message Based Program |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Adult male or female patients 18 years or older
- Diagnosed with primary cancer of: pharynx (nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx), larynx (all subsites), oral cavity (all subsites)
- Having completed surgical, radiation, and/or chemotherapy treatment;
- Post-treatment completion status of at least 3 months;
- Able to communicate and read in English;
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Non-English speaker
- Non-drinker
- Previously enrolled in adaption phase focus-groups to determine intervention content
- Clinically significant depression, as indicated by an assessment of ≥ 16 on the CES-D 11-item Iowa short form scale
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Cessation Text MessagesIntervention condition will consist of a text message program designed to promote alcohol cessation tailored to HNC patients and targeted to VA or Civilian populations in addition to usual-care-advice. | Behavioural | Intervention |
| Usual CareControl condition will consist of a provider-delivered alcohol cessation intervention with usual-care-advice. | Behavioural | Control |
Primary outcome
Alcohol Cessation Six Months From Baseline
Time frame: Six Months From Baseline
Survivors will self-report the amount of alcohol they are consuming at the 6 month follow-up assessment using the Time-Line Follow Back (TFLB) interview, a semi-structured interview designed to collect information about survivors' daily substance use. The TLFB was validated in 1996 and has demonstrated good test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and agreement with collateral reports of alcohol abuse. Participants will be asked to report their substance use over the prior 4 weeks via phone or electronic survey. Responses will be converted to a binary outcome of drinking reported or no drinking reported. Fewer participants reporting alcohol use would be considered success.
13 secondary outcomes
Alcohol Cessation Three Months From Baseline
Time frame: Three Months From Baseline
Quality Of Life (QoL) at Baseline
Time frame: Baseline
Quality Of Life (QoL) Three Months From Baseline
Time frame: Three Months From Baseline
Quality Of Life (QoL) Six Months From Baseline
Time frame: Six Months From Baseline
Depression at Baseline
Time frame: Baseline
Depression Three Months From Baseline
Time frame: Three Months From Baseline
Depression Six Months From Baseline
Time frame: Six Months From Baseline
Social Isolation Baseline
Time frame: Baseline
Social Isolation Three Months From Baseline
Time frame: Three Months From Baseline
Social Isolation Six Months From Baseline
Time frame: Six Months From Baseline
Loneliness at Baseline
Time frame: Baseline
Loneliness Three Months From Baseline
Time frame: Three Months From Baseline
Loneliness Six Months From Baseline
Time frame: Six Months From Baseline
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 5 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Researchers can contact the PI in order to request de-identified individual participant data (IPD).
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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.
Michael Diefenbach, PhD principal investigator
Northwell Health
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Alcohol Cessation Text Messages in people with Head and Neck Cancer and Alcohol Use, Unspecified, run by Northwell Health 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 7 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 5 Oct 2026. 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. 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?
Alcohol Cessation Six Months From Baseline (time frame: Six Months From Baseline). 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 5 Oct 2026.