Northern Alberta Psychosocial Telecare (NAPT) Screening for HNC Patients (NAPT)

May 11, 2026 updated by: University of Alberta

Northern Alberta Psychosocial Telecare (NAPT) Screening for Surgical Head and Neck Cancer Patients: a Randomized Controlled Trial

This is a randomized controlled trial comparing a web-based psychosocial screening application to usual care in a cohort of surgically-treated head and neck cancer patients to determine its efficacy in monitoring depression and distress, and prompting necessary psychiatry/psychology referrals. In addition, treatment adherence, rehabilitation and return to work, primary care utilization, and survival will be monitored.

Study Overview

Status

Terminated

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This is a randomized controlled trial comparing a web-based psychosocial screening application to usual care in a cohort of surgically-treated head and neck cancer patients.

This study will utilize a web-based application available on desktop or laptop computers, and smartphones. The application involves monitoring using the NCCN Distress Thermometer Score, the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report (QIDS-SR) score, and the Head and Neck Research Network (HNRN-33), a patient-reported, validated functional outcomes score. These assessments will be completed at baseline, 2 weeks postoperatively, and monthly thereafter until 12 months. Patients will have the option of filling out questionnaires more frequently if desired.

This web-based application, the NAPT App, will allow patients to alert the treatment team of their current state of mood or distress. Automatic alerts will be sent to the team if a Distress Score of </=3, a QIDS score >/=11, or suicidal ideation are expressed in the application.

The study duration will be 12 months with a primary endpoint of 6 months. Our primary outcome will be NCCN Distress Thermometer Score at 6 months, with secondary outcomes of the QIDS and HNRN-33 functional scores at 6 and 12 months. Additional outcomes assessed will pertain to completion of adjuvant therapy, weight maintenance, rehabilitation and return to work, and survival. Health services delivery outcomes, such as primary care visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and narcotic use will also be evaluated.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

9

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

    • Alberta
      • Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2B7
        • University of Alberta

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18 years
  • New (non-recurrent) head and neck cancer
  • Primary surgical treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

  • <18 years
  • Recurrent head and neck cancer
  • Previous chemotherapy or radiation therapy
  • History of psychiatric or psychologic illness
  • History of previous cancers or cancer distress

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

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Usual Care Group
The Usual Care Group will include adult patients undergoing primary surgical treatment for head and neck cancer. Supportive care will be offered or provided according to patients' wishes.
Active Comparator: NAPT Group
The NAPT Group will include adult patients undergoing primary surgical treatment for head and neck cancer. Patients will be given access to a web-based application that monitors depression, distress, and functional outcomes scores at regular intervals for 12 months. Patients will be able to alert the treatment team of decreased mood, increased distress, and functional issues impacting both. Patients will also be able to track their mood and distress levels throughout the 12 months and involve care-givers in monitoring as well.
Web-based depression and distress monitoring application

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Distress Thermometer Score
Time Frame: 6 months
NCCN Distress Thermometer Score
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
QIDS Score
Time Frame: 6 and 12 months
Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report (QIDS-SR)
6 and 12 months
HNRN-33
Time Frame: 6 and 12 months
Head and Neck Research Network (HNRN-33)
6 and 12 months
Completion of Adjuvant Therapy
Time Frame: 6 months
Completion of Adjuvant Therapy, including radiation or chemotherapy
6 months
Return to work
Time Frame: 12 months
Return to work by 12 months
12 months
Hospital Readmissions
Time Frame: 12 months
Hospital Readmissions
12 months
Primary Care Visits
Time Frame: 12 months
Primary Care Visits to Family Physician
12 months
Emergency Department Visits
Time Frame: 12 months
Emergency Department Visits
12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

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)

September 1, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 30, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

June 30, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 9, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 9, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

July 12, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 11, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HREBA.CC-17-0160

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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