iConquerFear Program for the Treatment of Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Patients With Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma

E-Interventions to Treat Fear of Cancer Recurrence for Patients With Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma

This trial investigates whether an online intervention, iConquerFear, can reduce fear of cancer coming back (recurrence) and anxiety in patients with renal cell carcinoma that is restricted to the site of origin, without evidence of spread (localized). This intervention is an online adaptation of a highly effective face-to-face treatment for fear of recurrence that teaches strategies for: controlling worry and excessive threat monitoring, modifying unhelpful beliefs about worry, developing appropriate monitoring and screening behaviors, addressing cancer-related existential change, promoting values-based goal setting, and reducing uncertainty by providing information about cancer and treatment. The information learned may help others with renal cell carcinoma who also have a fear of cancer recurrence.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Renal Cell Carcinoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Quality-of-Life Assessment; Other: Questionnaire Administration; Other: Internet-Based Intervention - Complete iConquerFear program

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess feasibility and acceptability of the iConquerFear program for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

II. To assess preliminary effects of the program on Fear of Cancer Recurrence-7 item scale (FCR-7), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-anxiety, PROMIS-depression, and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-General (FACT-G).

III. Explore differences in feasibility and efficacy of iConquerFear by sociodemographic or clinical factors.

OUTLINE:

Patients complete 5 sessions of iConquerFear program online over 5 weeks. Patients also complete questionnaires at baseline, after the intervention, and 2 months later.

• Study Type: Observational
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Renal Cell Carcinoma

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Sufficiently fluent in English
• Cytologically or pathologically verified diagnosis of RCC
• Undergone nephrectomy with negative margins (NOTE: Patients with other local definitive therapies, e.g., radiofrequency ablation or stereotactic ablative radiotherapy [SABR], would not be candidates for this protocol)
• No evidence of metastatic disease (including at a minimum computed tomography [CT] of the chest, abdomen and pelvis for staging)
• Internet access and basic computer skills
• Moderate to severe fear of cancer recurrence (FCR)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Supportive care (iConquerFear program, questionnaires); Patients complete 5 sessions of iConquerFear program online over 5 weeks. Patients also complete questionnaires at baseline, after the intervention, and 2 months later.	Other: Quality-of-Life Assessment; Ancillary studies; Other Names: Quality of Life Assessment; Other: Questionnaire Administration; Complete questionnaires; Other: Internet-Based Intervention - Complete iConquerFear program; Online adaptation of a highly effective face-to-face treatment for fear of recurrence.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Feasibility - Accrual	at least 90% of the desired accrual goal is reached within 12 months	1 year
Feasibility - completion of Interventions	At least 70% of patients complete 3/5 intervention sessions, assessed as follows: i. ≥70% of patients complete first intervention session ii. ≥70% of patients complete second intervention session iii. ≥70% of patients complete third intervention session	1 year
Feasibility - retention/evaluation	≥70% of patients have at least 2 of 3 evaluable time points, assessed as follows: i. All patients will have timepoint 1 assessment, which is required at time of accession ii. ≥70% of patients must be evaluable at timepoint 2 or timepoint 3 [in rare cases, patients will skip in intermediary time point but compelete a later timepoint evaluation]	1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Preliminary effects of iConquerFear program - FCR 7	Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) will be used to explore changes in scores over time, separately for the metrics obtained from Fear of Cancer Recurrence-7 item scale (FCR-7) All instruments will be scored according to validated instructions. All available time points will be used in each analysis. Fear of Cancer Recurrence-7. This is a 7-item scale that assesses the degree of FCR, with a cutoff score of 17 or above indicative of moderate and a cutoff score of 27 or above indicative of severe FCR.	Baseline (T1), immediately after the intervention expected at 5 weeks after baseline (T2), and at 2 months follow-up (T3, 2 months following T2)]
Preliminary effects of iConquerFear program - (PROMIS)-Anxiety	Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) will be used to explore changes in scores over time, separately for the metrics obtained from Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-Anxiety. All instruments will be scored according to validated instructions. All available time points will be used in each analysis. PROMIS Emotional Distress: Anxiety. This 8-item measure assesses symptoms of anxiety on a 5-point scale (1=never, 5=always). Scores range from 7-35 with higher scores indicating greater severity of anxiety.	Baseline (T1), immediately after the intervention expected at 5 weeks after baseline (T2), and at 2 months follow-up (T3, 2 months following T2)]
Preliminary effects of iConquerFear program - PROMIS -depression	Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) will be used to explore changes in scores over time, separately for the metrics obtained from Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-depression. All instruments will be scored according to validated instructions. All available time points will be used in each analysis. PROMIS Emotional Distress: Depression. This 8-item measure assesses symptoms of depression on a 5-point scale (1=never, 5=always). Scores range from 8-40 with higher scores indicating greater severity of depression.	Baseline (T1), immediately after the intervention expected at 5 weeks after baseline (T2), and at 2 months follow-up (T3, 2 months following T2)]
Preliminary effects of iConquerFear program - FACT-G	Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) will be used to explore changes in scores over time, separately for the metrics obtained from Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-General (FACT-G). All instruments will be scored according to validated instructions. All available time points will be used in each analysis. Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-General (FACT-G). A 27-item self-related scale measure QoL across four domains of 'well-being' (physical, social/family, emotional and functional) on a 4-point Likert scale. Scores range from 0-28 for the physical, social/family and functional subscales, 0-24 for the emotional subscale and 0-108 for the total score. Higher scores indicate higher quality of life.	Baseline (T1), immediately after the intervention expected at 5 weeks after baseline (T2), and at 2 months follow-up (T3, 2 months following T2)]

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: City of Hope Medical Center
• Collaborators: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Sumanta K Pal, City of Hope Medical Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): August 20, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 27, 2023
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 27, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 10, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 23, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): December 30, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 26, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 23, 2025
• Last Verified: June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Urogenital Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Male Urogenital Diseases; Kidney Diseases; Urologic Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Disease Attributes; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Adenocarcinoma; Urologic Neoplasms; Kidney Neoplasms; Recurrence; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Renal Cell
• Other Study ID Numbers: 20133 (Other Identifier: City of Hope Medical Center); P30CA033572 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract); NCI-2020-04378 (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
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No