Development and Validation of Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) Measures for Individuals With Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) and Plexiform Neurofibromas (pNFs)

Last updated: June 17, 2026
Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Brain Cancer

Brain Tumor

Warts

Treatment

N/A

Clinical Study ID

NCT02544022
150195
15-C-0195
  • Ages > 5
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

Background:

People with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) who have plexiform neurofibromas (pNFs) can have pain that affects their daily lives. This study aims to improve questionnaires that measure their pain, daily living, and physical functioning.

Objectives:

To examine and improve questionnaires about daily living for people with NF1 and pNFs.

Eligibility:

People ages 5 and older with NF1 and a pNF

Design:

Participants will be screened with medical history.

This study will have 2 phases.

Phase 1 participants will talk about existing pain assessment questionnaires and how pNFs affect their life. They will have group discussions of up to 8 people of a similar age with NF1 and pNFs, or the parents of children with it. These will last about 90 minutes. Children ages 5 to 7 and their parents will have one-on-one meetings instead. These will last about 45 minutes. Discussions will be audiotaped. After the questionnaires have been changed, individual interviews will discuss the new wording, instructions, questions, and electronic format of the new forms.

Phase 2 is now complete.

Phase 1 participants may be invited to Phase 2.

Phase 2 participants will complete the new questionnaires. These may be pen-and-paper or electronic. The questionnaires will take about 30 minutes for adults and teens. Children will work one-on-one with a staff member and may need up to 45 minutes. A small group of participants will be complete the forms twice-in clinic and 1 month later at home. Also, a small group who start a new pain treatment or have a dose increase in their treatment will complete the forms twice-before the treatment change and 1 month later.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • SUBJECT INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Documented NF1 either by NIH clinical criteria or molecularly-proven mutation in the

NF1 gene, PER the Neurofibromatosis Diagnostic Criteria AND >=1 plexiform neurofibroma in any location that is either symptomatic or asymptomatic, and is defined by the following:

  1. a neurofibroma that has grown along the length of a nerve and may involve multiplefascicles and branches OR a spinal neurofibroma that involves two or more levelswith connection between the levels or extending laterally along the nerve OR a skinthickness neurofibroma;

  2. measures >=3 cm on longest diameter by visual exam, palpation or 2D MR imaging OR >=3 mL by volumetric MR imaging.

  • For phase 1, Age >=5 years. (complete)

  • For phase 2, Age >= 8 years

  • Ability of subject or parent or guardian to understand and the willingness tosign a written informed consent document.

  • Participants must be able to understand, read, and speak the English language.

  • For phase 1 focus groups only, patients need to report experiencing pNF relatedpain recently with a minimum pain level of 3 on the current NRS-11 or reporttaking prescription medication that reduces pain and experiencing pNF relatedpain recently with a minimum pain level of 1 on the current NRS-11. (complete)

  • For phase 2 patients with pain, patients need to report recently experiencingat least a minimal amount of pNF-related pain. Specifically, they will be askedif they recently experienced any pain in a target tumor area and will have torespond yes to be eligible.

  • For phase 2 patients without pain, patients need to report no recentpNF-related pain. Specifically, they will be asked if they recently experiencedany pain in a target tumor area and will have to respond no to be eligible.

PRIMARY CAREGIVER INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Primary caregiver (i.e. parent,guardian, grandparent) who is >= 18 years old ofparticipating subject <= 17 years old

  • Participants must be able to understand, read, and speak the English language

Exclusion

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Patients with severe cognitive or behavior impairments who, in the judgment of theinvestigators, would not be able to cooperate with the study procedures will beexcluded.

  • Patients cannot be newly enrolled on a clinical trial to treat their pNF or cannothave started a new pain treatment regimen (e.g., medication, psychosocial therapy,physical therapy, etc.) at the time of enrollment. Specifically, patients will beineligible if they were enrolled on a MEK inhibitor trial in the past 12 months orbegan a new pain

medication or treatment within the past 3 months prior to enrollment on this study.

Study Design

Total Participants: 476
Study Start date:
November 13, 2015
Estimated Completion Date:
December 31, 2026

Study Description

Background:

  • Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is a genetic disease with multiple clinical manifestations, including plexiform neurofibromas (pNFs) that can cause pain and may significantly impact daily functioning and quality of life (QOL).

  • Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are useful in trials for conditions that are disabling and chronic like NF1, where symptom reduction and improved functioning and QOL currently are important treatment outcomes, which may occur with pNF shrinkage.

  • A critical step toward approval of drugs to treat pNFs is to evaluate clinical benefit in conjunction with a reduction in tumor volume as assessed by imaging endpoints.

  • The FDA requests the use of PROs in NF1 clinical trials, especially for assessing changes in symptoms, such as pain.

  • Currently, no valid PRO measures exist that are specific to the NF1 population to assess pNF pain or its functional impact on an individual s life.

Objectives:

  • Phase 1: Qualitative Evaluation - COMPLETE

    --To evaluate current modifications and the need for any additional modifications to existing measures of pain intensity (Numeric Rating Scale; NRS-11) and pain interference (Pain Interference Index; PII) and select the most appropriate items to measure physical functioning (PROMIS Physical Functioning; PROMIS-PF) in NF1 based on qualitative feedback from patients with NF1, pNFs and pain to use as endpoints in clinical trials for individuals with NF1 and pNFs.

  • Phase 2: Evaluation of Psychometric Properties and Collection of Normative Data

  • To evaluate final versions of the NRS-11 (now called the PAin INtensity Scale for pNF [PAINS-pNF]) and PII (now called the Pain Interference Index for pNF [PIIpNF]) measures on reliability, validity, and feasibility in individuals with NF1 and pNFs.

Eligibility:

  • Patients with documented NF1 either by NIH clinical criteria or molecularly-proven mutation in the NF1 gene will be included in the study. Patients must have at least 1 plexiform neurofibroma (pNF) that is at least 3cm on longest diameter by physical exam (i.e. visual exam, palpation) or 2D MR imaging OR >=3mL by volumetric MR imaging. Patients must be at least 8 years of age and able to understand, read, and speak English.

  • Patients will be ineligible if they were enrolled on a MEK inhibitor trial in the past 12 months or began a new pain treatment regimen (e.g., medication, psychosocial therapy, physical therapy, etc.) within the past three months at the time of recruitment.

  • Primary caregivers (i.e. parent, guardian, grandparent) of participants younger than 18 years old are also eligible to participate in order to provide parent report information to further validate the PII-pNF questionnaire for parents.

Design:

  • This protocol will be a multi-institutional research study to maximize our ability to assess a large, diverse sample of individuals with NF1.

  • This study will consist of 2 phases. During the first phase, we conducted the qualitative portion of the study with individuals with NF1, ages >=5 years, most with pNF-related pain, using both focus groups and individual interviews. During Phase 2, we will evaluate the final electronic versions of the PAINS-pNF and the PII-pNF using a microlongitudinal design to examine internal consistency, construct validity, and test-retest reliability, and to provide normative data on the study measures for the NF1 population.

  • Our goal for phase 2 is to recruit between 14 to 16 patients, with a target of 15 in each of the eight phase 2 age bands for an approximate ceiling of 128 patients >=8 years old (target = 120) and 48 parents of children 8-17 years old (target = 45). All patients and parents will be asked to complete the measures two weeks in a row to examine test-retest reliability.

Connect with a study center

  • Children's National Medical Center

    Washington D.C., District of Columbia 20010
    United States

    Completed

  • University of Chicago

    Chicago, Illinois 60637
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Johns Hopkins University

    Baltimore, Maryland 21287
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda, Maryland 20892
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center Institution

    Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039
    United States

    Completed

  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

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