A Study Comparing Mindfulness Apps to Decrease Anxiety in People With Lung Cancer (CALM IT)

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Lung Cancer

Treatments: Other: AmDTx-2048; Other: AmDTx-PCSP; Other: Questionnaires

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06008574

23-114

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to find out if it is practical to provide the program contained within the smartphone app AmDTx before and after lung cancer surgery. AmDTx is a platform that re-configures according to the specific needs of patients through physician prescriptions.

Enrollment: 6 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Histologically proven lung cancer

  • Patients with suspected primary lung cancer per recent chest CT scan (with or without contrast) may be enrolled in the trial. These patients may be randomized and begin study intervention without a biopsy. If a patient undergoes a biopsy after consent and the results are negative or if the patient does not proceed with surgery, the patient will be removed from the study. The patient will continue to receive full access to the AmDTx app for 2-years.
  • Scheduled for surgery with at least 14 days lead time (to allow the participant to start the mindfulness practice [intervention group] 14 days preoperatively)

• Age ≥18 years of age at time of signing informed consent

• Access to a smartphone/tablet with data connection

• Willing to give time for mindfulness practice (Patients need to have the motivation to devote approximately 20 to 30 min daily, which is equal to 5 to 7 sessions a week over the course of a minimum of 6 weeks to do the mindfulness meditations and practices)

• Willing to be randomized to mindfulness MBCR or CI group and complete all assessments

• High distress level (Distress Thermometer score ≥4 at initial visit)

• Able to understand the study objectives and procedures, comply with the protocol, and sign an informed consent

• Able to read, speak, and understand English

Exclusion criteria

• Currently engaging in app-based mindfulness or meditation for one or more times per week
• As per self-report or as documented in the medical record, current untreated (e.g., no medication, no therapy) major psychotic disorder (schizotypal personality disorder, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder). Patients diagnosed with a major psychiatric disorder will be reviewed by the study PI to determine eligibility before consent
• Individuals with impaired decision-making capacity
• Patients that need to undergo neoadjuvant therapy (chemotherapy±radiation)
• Patients undergoing active treatment of other non-lung cancers
• Patients with recurrent lung cancer

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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6 participants in 2 patient groups

MBCR (mindfulness-based cancer survivorship group) (AmDTx-PCSP)

Experimental group

Description:

Patients randomized to the MBCR group will receive remote AmDTx-PCSP in the perioperative period (initiated at least 2 weeks before surgery). AmDTx-PCSP will be continued after surgery, for a minimum of 6 weeks total. AmDTx-PCSP is a step-by-step program including meditation training and other activities relevant for people living with cancer. The participants are asked to use AmDTx for about 20-30 minutes per day, at least 4 days per week, for 6 weeks. The participants are free to proceed at a faster pace and use AmDTx more than 20-30 per day if they choose. The first 3 modules of the program are required, and then the participant will be able to pick 3 additional modules based on topics that are most meaningful to them.

Treatment:

Other: Questionnaires

Other: AmDTx-PCSP

CI (control) group (AmDTx-2048)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients randomized to the CI group will use a game called "2048", a cognitive training app, which is used as an control condition to control for expectancy and daily engagement. The participants will use AmDTx-2048 to engage in cognitive training with a puzzle game. The participants are asked to use AmDTx for about 20-30 minutes per day, at least 4 days per week, for 6 weeks. The participants are free to proceed at a faster pace and use AmDTx more than 20-30 per day if you choose. In this puzzle game, the participants will slide numbered tiles around a grid, matching tiles of the same value to combine them into one new tile displaying the sum of the previous two numbers. The goal is to match tiles until the sum of 2048 is reached on a single tile. There is no time limit.

Treatment:

Other: Questionnaires

Other: AmDTx-2048