Innovating CBT-I for Cancer Survivors: An Optimization Trial

May 7, 2026 updated by: Daniel L Hall, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital
The overall goal of this project is to conduct a factorial, randomized controlled trial to optimize synchronous, virtual delivery of CBT-I for cancer survivors. The proposed project will yield multiple deliverables to innovate cancer survivorship care, chiefly an optimized, scalable, virtually-delivered intervention that addresses chronic insomnia, one of the most deleterious concerns among the growing demographic of cancer survivors in the U.S. Findings will inform future considerations for delivering CBT-I to cancer survivors.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

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

Insomnia is a significant issue in 30-50% of cancer survivors. Our pilot randomized controlled trial of synchronous, virtual cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) for cancer survivors suggested that a group format or booster sessions may optimize effects on insomnia and daytime functioning. The goal of this project is to conduct a factorial, randomized controlled trial to optimize synchronous, virtual delivery of CBT-I for cancer survivors. We will conduct a 2×2 factorial trial (N=80) to evaluate the optimal combination of two intervention design components: delivery (individual vs. group) and booster sessions (0 vs 3). The primary outcome is change in insomnia severity (insomnia severity index) from T0 (week 0) to T2 (week 8). The secondary outcomes are acute (T0-T1, week 4) and sustained (T0-T3, week 16) changes in insomnia severity, emotional distress, work-related functioning, use of sleep medications, and subjective and objective sleep metrics (measured with sleep diaries and Fitbit). Exploratory aim 1 is to characterize study participation and sleep outcomes among cancer survivors with insomnia. Exploratory aim 2 is to characterize the acceptability of design components using Likert ratings (very low=1 to very high=5, benchmarks=4 or higher) and exit interviews with open-ended responses with probes. This project will yield multiple deliverables to innovate cancer survivorship care, chiefly an optimized, scalable, virtually delivered intervention that addresses chronic insomnia, one of the most deleterious concerns among the among the steadily increasing number of cancer survivors.

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 (Estimated)

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

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 Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114
        • Massachusetts General Hospital

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • History of nonmetastatic, localized, or regional solid or blood malignancy(ies)
  • Completion of primary cancer treatment (radiation, surgery, and/or chemotherapy). Use of hormonal, maintenance, oral, and immunotherapies is permitted.
  • Chronic insomnia (DSM-5 criteria)
  • 18 years of age or older

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Self-reported inability to speak and write in English
  • Undertreated noninsomnia sleep disorder (e.g., sleep apnea)
  • Undertreated epilepsy, undertreated serious mental illness, undertreated suicidality, and/or psychiatric hospitalization in the past year
  • Unwilling or unable to discontinue night shift work

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: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: Single

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: Group 1: Survivorship Sleep Program with Individual Delivery + No Booster Sessions
4 weekly SSP sessions delivered to individual participants (session durations approximately 45 min/session). No booster sessions.
Behavioral: Survivorship Sleep Program with Individual Delivery + No Booster Sessions
4 weekly SSP sessions delivered to individual participants (session durations approximately 45 min/session). No booster sessions.
Experimental: Group 2: Survivorship Sleep Program with Group Delivery + No Booster Sessions
4 weekly SSP sessions delivered to groups of participants (session durations approximately 90 min/session). No booster sessions.
Behavioral: Survivorship Sleep Program with Group Delivery + No Booster Sessions
4 weekly SSP sessions delivered to groups of participants (session durations approximately 90 min/session). No booster sessions.
Experimental: Group 3: Survivorship Sleep Program with Individual Delivery + 3 Booster Sessions
4 weekly SSP sessions delivered to individual participants (session durations approximately 45 min/session), followed by 3 monthly booster sessions.
Behavioral: Survivorship Sleep Program with Individual Delivery + 3 Booster Sessions
4 weekly SSP sessions delivered to individual participants (session durations approximately 45 min/session). 3 monthly booster sessions.
Experimental: Group 4: Survivorship Sleep Program with Group Delivery + 3 Booster Sessions
4 weekly SSP sessions delivered to groups of participants (session durations approximately 90 min/session), followed by 3 monthly booster sessions.
Behavioral: Survivorship Sleep Program with Group Delivery + 3 Booster Sessions
4 weekly SSP sessions delivered to groups of participants (session durations approximately 90 min/session). 3 monthly booster sessions.

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
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) total score
Time Frame: T0 (Baseline) to T2 (week 8)
Changes in insomnia severity will be assessed using the validated Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Scores of 15 or higher on the ISI indicate clinically significant insomnia, and reductions of >8 points are considered clinically meaningful. Changes from T0-T2 are the primary outcome. Acute (T0-T1; post-SSP) and 3-month (T0-T3; 3 Month Surveillance/Booster 3) changes will be examined as secondary outcomes.
T0 (Baseline) to T2 (week 8)

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
Emotional distress: PROMIS Anxiety Symptoms
Time Frame: T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
PROMIS anxiety short form. Acute (T0-T1; week 4) and 3-month (T0-T3; week 16) changes will be examined as secondary outcomes.
T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
Emotional distress: PROMIS Depression Symptoms
Time Frame: T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
PROMIS depression short form. Acute (T0-T1; week 4) and T0-T3 (week 16) changes will be examined as secondary outcomes.
T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
Daytime fatigue: PROMIS Fatigue
Time Frame: T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
PROMIS fatigue short form. Acute (T0-T1; week 4) and T0-T3 (week 16) changes will be examined as secondary outcomes.
T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
Work-related functioning
Time Frame: T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
Work-related functioning will be measured using the six-item Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: General Health (WPAI:GH), which includes scores for absenteeism, presenteeism, and total work impairment. Acute (T0-T1; week 4) and T0-T3 (week 16) changes will be examined as secondary outcomes.
T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
Use of sleep aid medications
Time Frame: T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
Use of sleep aid medications (frequency, dose) will be evaluated via self-report surveys and electronic medical records (when possible). Acute (T0-T1; week 4) and T0-T3 (week 16) changes will be examined as secondary outcomes.
T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
Sleep diaries and actigraphy
Time Frame: T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)
Sleep diaries and actigraphy will be collected during SSP Sessions 1-4 and for 7 days at each timepoint (T0-T3) to derive sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, and wake after sleep onset. Discrepancy scores between subjective and objective sleep metrics (e.g., sleep onset latency) will be examined. Acute (T0-T1; week 4) and T0-T3 (week 16) changes will be examined as secondary outcomes.
T0 (week 0) to T3 (week 16)

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.
Massachusetts General Hospital

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: Daniel Hall, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital

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 6, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
May 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
May 31, 2026

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).
December 13, 2023

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.
December 13, 2023

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.
December 26, 2023

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.
May 8, 2026

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.
May 7, 2026

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.
May 1, 2026

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.
  • 23-681
  • 5R21CA279248-02 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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