Magnetic pulses to the brain may help cancer patients sleep better

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Age 18-80 years and able to understand the study and provide written informed consent. Pathologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), classified according to the IASLC 9th edition TNM system as unresectable stage IIIB-IIIC, stage IVA-IVB, or recurrent disease after curative-intent treatment and considered by a multidisciplinary team to be unsuitable for further curative local therapy. Receiving a stable first-line or later-line systemic anticancer treatment regimen, or receiving inpatient symptom/supportive care after anticancer treatment; the treatment plan must be established before randomization, with no planned initiation of new radiotherapy or change in systemic anticancer therapy before assessment of the primary outcome. Mean Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ) score \<70 across two consecutive valid inpatient nights and baseline Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score ≥8. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2 and estimated life expectancy ≥3 months. Hospitalized for anticancer treatment-related observation, symptom control, or supportive care, with an expected remaining hospital stay of at least 10 days from randomization and ability to complete 10 stimulation sessions and the primary outcome assessment within 14 days. Able to complete the prespecified RCSQ assessments and brief sleep diary, continuous Lifesense HR6 monitoring, and 64-channel EEG assessment. Exclusion Criteria: Unable to provide valid informed consent, unwilling to participate, or unable to reliably complete the primary RCSQ assessment. History of epilepsy or unexplained seizures, active intracranial hemorrhage, significant cerebral edema, elevated intracranial pressure, recent stroke, or severe traumatic brain injury. Intracranial ferromagnetic metal, cochlear implant, deep brain stimulator, cardiac pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, or other TMS-incompatible implant. Severe scalp infection, open wound, or inability to safely position the TMS coil or EEG cap. Pregnancy or any condition considered by the investigator to pose unacceptable risk. Active or uncontrolled brain metastases, or brain metastases associated with cerebral edema, hemorrhage, focal neurological symptoms, or a need for escalating corticosteroid treatment. Untreated or unstable obstructive sleep apnea, or another primary sleep disorder requiring priority specialist management. Initiation, discontinuation, or ≥50% dose change of sedative-hypnotic medication within 48 hours before randomization, or a planned initiation/discontinuation of medication expected to substantially affect sleep before assessment of the primary outcome. Planned initiation of new whole-brain or local radiotherapy, first use of high-dose corticosteroids, or switching of systemic anticancer therapy before assessment of the primary outcome. ECOG performance status ≥3, uncontrolled respiratory failure, delirium, or inability to reliably complete the prespecified sleep assessments.