Improving Quality of Life After Thoracic Surgery Using Patient-Reported Outcomes

January 29, 2025 updated by: UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
This study is designed to test if patient-reported outcomes with automated reporting to clinicians for remote monitoring of postoperative symptoms is feasible and improves quality of life, health outcomes, and service utilization in thoracic surgery patients. Patients undergoing thoracic surgery will be asked to self-report symptoms for remote monitoring by their care team.

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

This is a single center, randomized feasibility study. A total of 140 patients undergoing thoracic surgery will be prospectively enrolled and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to one of two arms. All participants will complete patient-reported outcome (PRO) symptom monitoring. The two arms are 1) active symptom monitoring and 2) passive symptom monitoring. The participants randomized to active symptom monitoring will have alerts sent to their clinicians when their PRO symptom scores exceed baseline postoperative scores (when discharge day scores are available) by 2 points or more, or when 'severe' or 'very severe' symptoms are reported. Participants randomized to the passive PRO monitoring arm will complete the same PROs as participants in the active monitoring arm, but will not have alerts sent to their clinician. All participants will be administered survey instruments to assess quality of life, satisfaction, and health history. In addition, a subset of up to 40 participants will be chosen at 2 months postoperatively to complete a semi-structured interview about their postoperative symptom reporting experience.

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.
113

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
    • North Carolina
      • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27599
        • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18 years or older
  • English speaking
  • Able and willing to complete web-based symptom survey
  • Be presenting for inpatient thoracic surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Not completing planned surgery within 3 months of obtaining informed consent
  • Diagnosis of esophageal cancer
  • Inability to read and speak English
  • Presenting for a day surgery
  • Presenting for foregut surgery (e.g. paraesophageal hernia repair)
  • Dementia, altered mental status, or any psychiatric condition that would prohibit the understanding or rendering of informed consent.
  • Current incarceration
  • Pregnancy

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: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel 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: Active Monitoring
Clinicians will receive symptom alerts if the survey suggests increased or worsening symptoms.
Other: Active Monitoring
The participants randomized to active symptom monitoring will have alerts sent to their clinicians when their PRO symptom scores exceed baseline postoperative scores (when discharge day scores are available) by 2 points or more, or when 'severe' or 'very severe' symptoms are reported.
Active Comparator: Passive Monitoring
Clinicians will not receive any symptom alerts.
Other: Passive Monitoring
Participants randomized to the passive PRO monitoring arm will complete the same PROs as participants in the active monitoring arm, but will not have alerts sent to their clinician.

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
Quality of Life at 12 Months
Time Frame: 12 months post-discharge
Quality of Life (QOL) will be measured by the EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) version 3.0 and reported as a score on a scale from 0 to 100 with a higher score being a better QOL.
12 months post-discharge
Lung Cancer Specific Quality of Life at 12 Months
Time Frame: 12 months post-discharge
Lung cancer specific Quality of Life will be measured by the EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) Quality of Life Questionnaire Lung Cancer-13 (EORTC QLQ-LC13) supplement and reported as a score from 0 to 100 with a higher score being worse symptoms
12 months post-discharge
PRO Symptom Monitoring Surveys Completed at 3 Months
Time Frame: 3 months post-discharge
The percentage of subjects who completed symptom surveys out of delivered symptom surveys.
3 months post-discharge
PRO Symptom Monitoring Alerts Resulting in a Clinician Response at 3 Months
Time Frame: 3 months post-discharge
The percentage of survey alerts that generate a clinician response will be calculated.
3 months post-discharge
Barriers and Facilitators of PRO Monitoring After Thoracic Surgery
Time Frame: assessed at 2 months through 2 years post-discharge
Barriers and facilitators of PRO monitoring after thoracic surgery will be assessed using qualitative methods. A subset of patients and caregivers participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify determinants.
assessed at 2 months through 2 years post-discharge

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
Readmission at 3 Months
Time Frame: 3 months post-discharge
Readmission rates after thoracic surgery.
3 months post-discharge
Overall Survival at 12 Months
Time Frame: 12 months post-discharge
Survival will be compared between arms using Cox proportional hazards regression model.
12 months post-discharge

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.
UNC Lineberger Comprehensive 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.
American College of Surgeons
Thoracic Surgery Foundation

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: Gita Mody, MD, MPH, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

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 30, 2020

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.
November 10, 2023

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.
November 10, 2023

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).
March 24, 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.
April 9, 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.
April 10, 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 25, 2025

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.
January 29, 2025

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.
January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • LCCC1945

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

No plans as of now to make IPD available to other researchers.

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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