Meditation With Virtual Reality for Cancer Pain Relief in the Pain Therapy and Palliative Care Service

Launched by EMILY SANTOS MONTARROYOS · Mar 18, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring how meditation using virtual reality (VR) can help relieve pain and improve the quality of life for cancer patients. The study is being conducted at the Amazonas State Oncology Control Center and involves two parts. The first part will look at the different factors related to pain in cancer patients, while the second part will test whether regular meditation through immersive VR can really make a difference in managing pain. The goal is to give patients a tool for pain relief and support their overall well-being during their treatment.

To join the study, participants need to be between 18 and 75 years old, currently receiving care for cancer-related pain, and able to understand Portuguese. They should also have normal vision and hearing, be able to move their heads and bodies, and have an Android phone. Those with serious mental health issues, certain brain conditions, or who feel uncomfortable with VR will not be eligible. Participants can expect to engage in guided meditation sessions using VR, which could help them feel less pain and improve their daily lives.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Be followed up at the Pain Therapy and Palliative Care Service (STDCP) to control symptoms resulting from any type of cancer at any stage;
• • Have a diagnosis of chronic pain, recorded in the medical records.
• • Be between 18 and 75 years old on the date of the first collection;
• • Be able to understand Portuguese (read and write);
• • Have normal vision and hearing;
• • Have a cell phone with an Android system;
• • Be able to make head movements and have sufficient motor control to make body movements;
• • Agree to take part in the study and sign the Informed Consent Form (ICF).
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Indigenous patients (due to cultural and linguistic peculiarities and special legislation);
• • Patients with records of serious psychiatric illnesses (DSM-5 - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - schizophrenia, schizotypal disorders, delusional disorders, borderline and dementias);
• • Impairment of the ability to understand or communicate based on the researcher's assessment;
• • Report of discomfort with the use of Immersive Virtual Reality;
• • Progression of the disease with limitation in maintaining the proposed regular outpatient visits;
• • Patients with brain tumors, brain metastases or a previous history of seizures.