Scrambler Therapy for the Reduction of Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain

March 22, 2022 updated by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Effect of Scramble Therapy on Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Prospective, Pilot Study

This trial studies how well scrambler therapy works in reducing chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain in patients with cancer. Scrambler therapy is a type of treatment that uses electrodes placed on the skin. Electricity is carried from the electrodes through the skin and blocks the pain.

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 evaluate the efficacy of MC5-A scrambler therapy (scrambler therapy [ST]) in reducing chemotherapy-induced painful peripheral neuropathy (CIPPN).

II. Evaluate the change in pain score before and after 2 weeks (Monday-Friday) of the final ST treatment.

III. Assess for changes in other symptom burden (i.e insomnia, feeling of well-being, depression and anxiety) after 2 weeks (Monday-Friday) ST treatment.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the following with the treatment of ST:

Ia. Assess for changes in therapy induced neuropathy assessment scale (TNAS). Ib. Assess for changes in using pain medications. Ic. Assess for changes in daily physical activities/functional status. Id. Assess for changes in quality of life using European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ) (chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy) chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain (CIPN) 20 questionnaire.

Ie. Assess overall satisfaction with the ST treatment using Global Impression of Change questionnaire.

TERTIARY (EXPLORATORY) OBJECTIVE:

I. Determine the change in sensation after 2 weeks (Monday-Friday) of the final ST treatment.

OUTLINE:

Patients undergo scrambler therapy over 30-45 minutes once daily (QD) Monday-Friday for 2 weeks. Patients also undergo a quantitative sensory test and a gait assessment test using a FitBit before receiving scrambler therapy, at the end of the first and second weeks of scrambler therapy, and 1 month after the last day of scrambler therapy.

After completion of study, patients are followed up weekly for 3 weeks and at 4 weeks after the last day of scrambler therapy treatment.

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.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

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.
16

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • 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 Locations

  • United States
    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • M D Anderson 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

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Have a diagnosis of cancer and suffer from CIPN for at least 3 months after the end of their last cancer chemotherapy
  • Have average pain intensity of at least 4/10
  • Be in stable clinical situation (no surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy or other treatment scheduled) in the month following the enrollment)
  • Can give a written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pre-existence or history of seizure
  • Pre-existence or history of peripheral neuropathy due to a cause different from neurotoxic chemotherapy (i.e. idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy
  • Pregnancy
  • Present with pacemaker or implantable defibrillators
  • Present or past psychotropic substances and alcohol dependence
  • Inability to understand patients' information and informed consent
  • Skin lesion at the electrode placement site

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: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
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.
Experimental: Supportive Care (scrambler therapy, sensory test, gait test)
Patients undergo scrambler therapy over 30-45 minutes QD Monday-Friday for 2 weeks. Patients also undergo a quantitative sensory test and a gait assessment test using a FitBit before receiving scrambler therapy, at the end of the first and second weeks of scrambler therapy, and 1 month after the last day of scrambler therapy.
Other: Quality-of-Life Assessment
Ancillary studies
Other Names:
  • Quality of Life Assessment
Other: Questionnaire Administration
Ancillary studies
Device: FitBit
Wear FitBit for gait assessment test
Other: Gait Assessment Test
Undergo gait assessment test
Other: MC5-A Scrambler Therapy
Undergo scrambler therapy
Other Names:
  • Scrambler Therapy
Procedure: Quantitative Sensory Testing
Undergo quantitative sensory test
Other Names:
  • QST

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
Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathic pain (CIPN) score difference
Time Frame: Baseline to the last day of 2-week treatment
Will be assessed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, median, range and confidence intervals. The t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test and Fisher's exact test may be used to compare variables between patient groups. Correlation between two continuous measures may be assessed using Pearson or Spearman correlation. Other statistical methods may be utilized when appropriate. The Pain inventory is an assessment of pain level on a 11-point numeric rating scales (0=none to 10=worst).
Baseline to the last day of 2-week treatment

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
Change in therapy-induced neuropathy
Time Frame: Baseline to the last day of 2-week treatment
Will be assessed using therapy induced neuropathy assessment scale. Will be assessed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, median, range and confidence intervals. The t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test and Fisher's exact test may be used to compare variables between patient groups. Correlation between two continuous measures may be assessed using Pearson or Spearman correlation. Other statistical methods may be utilized when appropriate.
Baseline to the last day of 2-week treatment
Change in cancer-related symptoms
Time Frame: Baseline to the last day of 2-week treatment
Will be assessed using therapy induced neuropathy assessment scale. Will be assessed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, median, range and confidence intervals. The t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test and Fisher's exact test may be used to compare variables between patient groups. Correlation between two continuous measures may be assessed using Pearson or Spearman correlation. Other statistical methods may be utilized when appropriate.
Baseline to the last day of 2-week treatment
Change in physical function and quality of life
Time Frame: Baseline to the last day of 2-week treatment
Will be assessed using the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire CIPN20 questionnaire. Will be assessed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, median, range and confidence intervals. The t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test and Fisher's exact test may be used to compare variables between patient groups. Correlation between two continuous measures may be assessed using Pearson or Spearman correlation. Other statistical methods may be utilized when appropriate. The Pain inventory is an assessment of pain level on a 11-point numeric rating scales (0=none to 10=worst).
Baseline to the last day of 2-week treatment

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.
M.D. Anderson 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: Salahadin Abdi, M.D. Anderson 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.
April 4, 2019

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.
March 18, 2022

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.
March 18, 2022

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).
January 21, 2020

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.
January 21, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

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.
January 27, 2020

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.
March 24, 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.
March 22, 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.
March 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • 2018-0651 (Other Identifier: M D Anderson Cancer Center)
  • P30CA016672 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • NCI-2019-08323 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

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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