Skin/Soft Tissue Elasticity in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors With Lymphedema and Fibrosis

February 7, 2022 updated by: Kenneth Niermann, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

Assessing Skin/Soft Tissue Elasticity in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

This research trial studies skin/soft tissue elasticity in head and neck cancer survivors with lymphedema and fibrosis. Lymphedema and fibrosis is a common effect of head and neck cancer which may lead to skin tightness, pain, and body image issues. Early detection of lymphedema and fibrosis may help reduce serious functional loss of the neck. Shear wave elastography is a technique that provides a quantitative measure of stiffness using a push pulse to generate shear waves within the tissues. Conventional imaging techniques are then used to monitor the shear waves generated through the tissue to calculate the shear wave speed. Shear wave elastography may help obtain an early and accurate measurement of tissue elasticity in head and neck cancer survivors.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To obtain pilot data of the elasticity of skin/soft tissues using shear wave elasticity at the defined anatomical sites in head and neck cancer survivors with lymphedema and fibrosis (LEF).

II. To explore the correlation between elasticity of skin/soft tissues and the following: 1) symptoms as measured by the Lymphedema Symptom Intensity and Distress Survey-Head and Neck (LSIDS-HN); 2) functional impact as measured by Cervical Range of Motion Device and the Vanderbilt Head and Neck Symptom Survey; and 3) physical exam findings as measured by Head and Neck LEF Grading Criteria.

OUTLINE:

Participants will be evaluated for LEF status using the Head and Neck External Lymphedema - Fibrosis (HN-LEF) Grading Criteria and neck range of motion using the Cervical Range of Motion Device. Participants also complete study questionnaires, including Vanderbilt Head and Neck Symptom Survey (VHNSS) and Lymphedema Symptom Intensity and Distress Survey - Head and Neck (LSIDS-H&N). Participants undergo ultrasound shear wave elastography over 20-25 minutes. Participants' cancer disease and treatment information will be gathered from their medical records.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
80

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Tennessee
      • Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37232
        • Vanderbilt University/Ingram Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

22 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults 22 years and older that are head and neck cancer survivors and have lymphedema and fibrosis.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Histologically confirmed cancer involving the head and neck
  • Completed all therapy
  • No evidence of cancer (NED)
  • Ability to understand English in order to complete questionnaires
  • Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Have medical record documentation of significant cognitive impairment that would preclude the ability to provide informed consent
  • Are unwilling to undergo the study assessment
  • Have recurrent and/or metastatic cancer

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Case-Only
  • Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Skin/soft tissue elasticity assessment
Participants will be evaluated for LEF status using the HN-LEF Grading Criteria and neck range of motion using the Cervical Range of Motion Device. Participants also complete study questionnaires, including VHNSS and LSIDS-H&N. Participants undergo ultrasound shear wave elastography over 20-25 minutes. Participants' cancer disease and treatment information will be gathered from their medical records.
Procedure: Medical Examination
Evaluation of secondary lymphedema and fibrosis (LEF) status
Other Names:
  • Exam
  • Examination
  • Medical Assessment
  • Medical Exam
  • Medical Inspection
Other: Questionnaire Administration
Completion of questionnaires
Procedure: Shear Wave Elastography
Undergo ultrasound shear wave elastrography
Other Names:
  • Transient Elastography

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Elasticity values
Time Frame: Within 2 weeks of initial study visit
Descriptive statistics will be used to describe data from elasticity measure. Of particular interest will be the measures of central tendency and variability at the multiple sites. Sites with higher variability (coefficient of variation) that others may be indicative of less reliable assessment.
Within 2 weeks of initial study visit

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Strength of associations of tissue elasticity and current conventional methods
Time Frame: Within 2 weeks of initial study visit
Correlation coefficients will be used to assess the strength of the associations of the elasticity values with the respective LEF grades (HN-LEF) for the respective sites. Those values will also be correlated with Vanderbilt Head and Neck Symptom Survey and HN-LSIDS symptom and Cervical Range of Motion scores. Due to the large number of correlations proposed in this study, effect sizes (strength of the associations) and clinically significant patterns will be of much greater importance than statistical significance.
Within 2 weeks of initial study visit

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Kenneth Niermann, Vanderbilt University/Ingram Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 1, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 3, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 3, 2016

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 8, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 9, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 7, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • VICC HN 15135 (Other Identifier: Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center)
  • P30CA068485 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • NCI-2016-00069 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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