Clinical Research Directory

The Effect of Pain Neuroscience Education and Behavioural Graded Activity on Chronic Pain in Breast Cancer Survivors

Chronic pain in breast cancer survivors (BCS) is of considerable concern as it impacts the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and activities of daily living negatively. Over the past decades, awareness has raised the value of pain neuroscience education (PNE) in chronic pain. However, pain education remains underused in oncology and is often restricted to a biomedical management, which falls short in explaining persistent pain following cancer. Since PNE alone has rather small effect sizes, it should ideally be combined with a physical part, 'behavioural graded activity' (BGA). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of PNE with BGA compared to usual care on chronic pain in BCS. A multi-centre, parallel, two-arm, double-blinded superiority with a three months intervention and two years follow-up will be conducted in 200 BCS with chronic pain. These will be randomly assigned to the intervention or usual care group. The intervention group will receive 6 sessions, in which PNE and BGA will be integrated. Whereas, the usual care group will receive an information leaflet regarding "Pain in and after cancer". The primary objective of the present study is to examine whether the combination of PNE and BGA has an added value in decreasing the pain intensity compared to the usual care in BCS with chronic pain. The secondary objectives are to investigate whether the combination of PNE and BGA has the ability to reduce endogenous hyperalgesia and improve HRQoL compared to the usual care in BCS with chronic pain.

Fertility Protection for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults

This study focuses on improving fertility preservation and long-term care for children, adolescents, and young adults (CAYA) undergoing cancer treatments or stem cell transplantation. These treatments can harm fertility, and ensuring that patients receive the right support and follow-up care is critical. The main study goals are: 1. Understanding Fertility Risks: Researchers aim to identify factors that predict fertility problems after cancer treatments, such as the type of therapy, hormone levels, body composition, or genetic predispositions. 2. Addressing Patient and Family Needs: The program will explore the concerns, needs, and challenges faced by young patients and their parents regarding fertility. It will also examine how these issues affect their quality of life. 3. Improving Clinical Care: Current practices in fertility preservation and counseling will be studied to identify gaps and improve care structures. To achieve these goals, the program will: * Create a database to collect and analyze medical data from patients before, during, and after cancer treatments. * Study the prevalence and long-term effects of fertility problems in young patients. * Document medical interventions like fertility preservation methods (e.g., freezing eggs or sperm) and treatments for late effects. * Assess patients' and families' fertility-related quality of life and their informational needs. Ultimately, the project aims to establish an interdisciplinary center to support fertility preservation and improve the quality of care for young patients facing cancer and its treatments.