NCT05442957

Brief Summary

In this multi-center randomized clinical trial, head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors with clinically significant body image distress (BID) (N=180) will be randomized to BRIGHT (a brief video tele-cognitive behavioral therapy intervention) or Attention Control (AC, a manualized tele-supportive care intervention that controls for professional attention, dose, delivery method, and common factors). HNC survivors will complete IMAGE-HN (a validated patient-reported outcome measure \[PROM\] of HNC-related body image distress \[BID\]; primary endpoint), measures of psychological and social well-being and quality of life (QOL), and measures of theory-derived mechanisms of change underlying BRIGHT (mediators).

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
180

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable head-and-neck-cancer

Timeline
11mo left

Started Feb 2023

Typical duration for not_applicable head-and-neck-cancer

Geographic Reach
1 country

5 active sites

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress78%
Feb 2023Mar 2027

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

June 29, 2022

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 5, 2022

Completed
7 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

February 14, 2023

Completed
4 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

January 30, 2027

Expected
2 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 30, 2027

Last Updated

September 24, 2025

Status Verified

September 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

4 years

First QC Date

June 29, 2022

Last Update Submit

September 18, 2025

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • IMAGE-HN

    The IMAGE-HN is a 24-item, validated patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) of HNC-related BID. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 'Never' (0) to 'Always' (4). The total global score is calculated by summing item responses across 21 items (all items except 3, 4, and 19). Total IMAGE-HN scores on the global domain (21 questions) range from 0-84; higher scores indicate worse HNC-related BID. An IMAGE-HN score of \> 22 indicates clinically-significant HNC-related BID and a change in IMAGE-HN score of \> 9 points is clinically meaningful.

    9 months

Secondary Outcomes (9)

  • Shame and Stigma Scale-Head and Neck

    9 months

  • PROMIS SF v1.0- Depression 8a

    9 months

  • PROMIS SF v1.0-Anxiety 8a.

    9 months

  • Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation

    9 months

  • PROMIS Short Form (SF) v2.0-Ability to Participate in Social Activities 8a

    9 months

  • +4 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

BRIGHT

EXPERIMENTAL

BRIGHT is a manualized theory-based video tele-cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention delivered one-on-one by a licensed clinical psychologist.

Behavioral: BRIGHT

Attention Control

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The attention control arm is a manualized video tele-supportive care intervention that addresses non-body image aspects of HNC survivorship.

Behavioral: Attention Control

Interventions

BRIGHTBEHAVIORAL

BRIGHT is a manualized theory-based tele-CBT intervention consisting of 6 weekly 60-minute sessions. BRIGHT is delivered one-on-one by a licensed clinical psychologist at each site via standard video tele-CBT platform. BRIGHT session topics include (1) psychoeducation about the cognitive model of body image, (2) self-monitoring about thoughts, feelings, and body image behaviors, (3) cognitive restructuring to identify and challenge unhelpful automatic HNC body image thoughts, (4) positive body image coping strategies, (5) social support and identifying personal value, and (6) thinking ahead and planning for setbacks.

BRIGHT

AC is a manualized video-tele-supportive care intervention that addresses non-body image aspects of HNC survivorship. Identical to BRIGHT, AC consists of 6 weekly 60-minute sessions delivered by a trained empathic interventionist via standard video-telemedicine platform. AC session topics include (1) Introduction to HNC survivorship, (2) Post-Treatment Side Effects (3) Psychosocial Aspects of HNC, (4) Health Promotion and Nutritional Challenges, (5) Financial Distress and Return to Work, and (6) Cancer Recurrence. AC controls for professional attention (i.e., ensuring that findings are not driven by simply interacting with an empathic interventionist), common factors, dose, and delivery method while not providing the active, behavior change mechanism in BRIGHT.

Attention Control

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Age \> 18 years on the day of informed consent
  • History of pathologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma (or histologic variant) of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, nose/paranasal sinuses, carcinoma of a major or minor salivary gland, or cutaneous malignancy of the face or neck
  • History of curative intent surgery with or without adjuvant therapy, with or without reconstruction
  • Completion of oncologic treatment within 12 months of study enrollment (but no sooner than 6 weeks post-treatment completion)
  • Patients who complete definitive HNC-directed therapy (e.g., surgery or radiation therapy) but are on adjuvant immunotherapy are considered eligible
  • Oncologic treatment refers to cancer-directed therapy; non-cancer surgery (e.g., trachea-esophageal puncture, flap debulking, etc) are not relevant for the purposes of determining eligibility vis a vis completing oncologic treatment within 6-week to 12 months of enrollment
  • Cancer-free at the time of accrual
  • patients with known indolent malignancies (e.g., non-melanoma skin cancer, low risk thyroid cancer, untreated prostate cancer, etc) would not exclude a patient from the study
  • No planned significant HNC ablative or reconstructive surgery (defined by a postoperative inpatient stay of at least three days) during the study intervention or follow-up period as determined by the HNC oncologic surgeon at the time of study accrual
  • Willingness to be randomized to either BRIGHT or AC
  • IMAGE-HN score ≥ 22

You may not qualify if:

  • Inability to speak or read English
  • Pre-existing, ongoing psychotherapy services for any disorder and the participant is not willing to discontinue the prior therapy for the duration of the proposed trial
  • Severe mental illness that would prevent trial participation

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (5)

Henry Ford Hospital

Detroit, Michigan, 48202, United States

RECRUITING

Washington University in St. Louis

St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States

RECRUITING

Pennsylvania State University

Hershey, Pennsylvania, 16802, United States

RECRUITING

Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina, 29425, United States

RECRUITING

University of Texas Southwestern

Dallas, Texas, 75235, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

  • Graboyes EM, Maurer SN, Kistner-Griffin E, Armeson K, Starr E, McLeod T, Balliet WE, Doenges J, Slavin-Spenny O, Vanderlan JR, Day A, Pipkorn P, Puram SV, Tam SH, Ruggiero KJ, Sterba KR. Protocol for a multisite, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial comparing a brief tele-cognitive behavioral therapy intervention (BRIGHT) with attention control for the reduction of body image-related distress among head and neck cancer survivors. Contemp Clin Trials. 2025 Jun;153:107888. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2025.107888. Epub 2025 Mar 24.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Head and Neck Neoplasms

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasms by SiteNeoplasms

Central Study Contacts

Evan M Graboyes, MD

CONTACT

Taylor McLeod, MPH

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE CARE
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

June 29, 2022

First Posted

July 5, 2022

Study Start

February 14, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

March 30, 2027

Last Updated

September 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

Research materials will include baseline data and study outcomes from trial participants. Data will be raw or minimally processed. Data will be available following final database lock, reporting to clinicaltrials.gov, and presentation and publication of study findings describing key primary and secondary objectives. De-identified data available will be available to users under a data-sharing agreement that provides for: (1) a commitment to using the data only for research purposes and not to identify any individual participant; (2) a commitment to securing the data using appropriate technology; and (3) a commitment to destroying or returning the data after analyses are completed. All data sharing will comply with laws, regulations, and policies privacy governing data derived from human subjects.

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
Time Frame
Data will be available following final database lock, reporting to clinicaltrials.gov, and presentation and publication of study findings describing key primary and secondary objectives. Data will remain available as long as they are useful for the larger research community.
Access Criteria
email to PI (graboyes@musc.edu)

Locations