Virtual Reality Therapy for Cancer-Treatment Associated Symptoms

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE · Jan 30, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new way to help cancer patients manage symptoms that can occur after treatment, such as pain, fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety, and depression. The study uses a Virtual Reality (VR) program, which allows patients to experience a multimodal therapy (MIT) from the comfort of their own homes. Researchers aim to gather information about how effective this VR therapy is in improving the quality of life for individuals dealing with chronic symptoms following their cancer treatments.

To participate in the trial, you need to be an adult between the ages of 18 and 88 who has been diagnosed with cancer and has completed treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation at least three months ago. If you’re currently receiving certain types of ongoing treatments, like immunotherapy, you can still join. However, there are some conditions that would exclude you from participating, such as severe mental health issues or certain physical conditions that could affect the use of the VR equipment. If eligible, you can expect to engage in the VR therapy sessions and help researchers understand how this innovative approach can improve your symptoms.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adults ages 18-88
• • Cancer diagnosis (histology verified)
• • Had surgical intervention, completed chemotherapy or radiation for therapeutic purposes
• • -\>3 months since last cancer treatment, but participants currently undergoing endocrine or immunotherapy treatments are permissible
• • Documented symptoms of cancer or cancer therapy including at least one of the following: pain, anxiety, sleep difficulty, fatigue, neuropathy
• • English speaker (written and spoken)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Severe psychiatric condition (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, autism) leading to hospitalization within the last 3 years
• • Any personal (or family first degree) history of mania, schizophrenia, or other psychoses
• • Diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain, neuropathy, fatigue, sleep or anxiety disorder prior to cancer diagnosis
• • Current Hospice or palliative care only recipients
• • Color-blindness
• • Impaired or uncorrected hearing
• • Lifetime alcohol/drug dependence or alcohol/drug abuse in past 3 months
• • Conditions that would interfere with the VR mask placement (e.g. trauma, burn, infection)
• • Known history of severe motion sickness
• • Pregnancy or breast feeding