Virtual Reality Therapy for Cancer-Treatment Associated Symptoms

April 27, 2026 updated by: University of Maryland, Baltimore

Implementation of an At-Home Multimodal Integrative Therapy Via Virtual Reality for Patients With Cancer-Treatment Associated Symptoms

We propose an innovative approach to symptom management in cancer patients following cancer treatments, utilizing a Multimodal Integrative Therapy (MIT) delivered via Virtual Reality (VR) program, authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration for in-home use. Our primary goal is to generate pilot data on the effects of MIT-VR program on pain, fatigue, sleep, depression, and anxiety in participants suffering from chronic cancer symptoms following cancer treatments.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

All of the study procedures will be completed over ten weeks, during which participants will complete one in-person enrollment visit per intervention and check in-phone calls as needed during the duration of each intervention. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 fashion to one of two different interventions first: virtual reality or Mp4 audio. At home, participants will engage in their assigned intervention 5x throughout the week for five weeks using the provided device and fill out required questionnaires. Once participants complete their first intervention, they will begin the second intervention.

In the virtual reality intervention, participants will complete the scheduled educational module five times in each of the five weeks. This VR is assisting users in using immersive reality to reduce pain, learning cognitive and behavior self-coping skills and retraining the pain pathways. There are several sessions, which will be delivered using an all-in-one head-mounted display. Each session varies in duration approximately from 3 to 15 minutes. Similarly, in the audio intervention, participants will complete the scheduled module 5 times a week in each of the five weeks of the intervention. The content is similar to that of the VR, which will be delivered by the audio player. Each session varies in duration approximately from 3 to 15 minutes.

The first visit is an enrollment visit. For the enrollment visit, the participant will first complete a battery of baseline surveys. They will also receive instructions about the intervention and go through the first module of the intervention to which he or she is assigned. A member of the research team will stay with the participant while the participant completes the module to ensure the proper functioning of the device and will answer any questions that may arise. The team member will also guide the participant on how to use the device. During the five weeks of the intervention, each participant can have check-in phone calls as needed. During these check-ins, we will address any questions and issues that arise for participants to encourage compliance. Participants will return the devices after each intervention.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21201-1512
        • Recruiting
        • Luana Colloca
        • Contact:
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Kendyl Carlisle, MD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Julia Terhune, MD
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21201-1512

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

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

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Virtual reality arm
In the virtual reality intervention, participants will complete the scheduled educational module five times in the week of the intervention. This VR is assisting users in using immersive reality to reduce pain, learning cognitive and behavior self-coping skills and retraining the pain pathways. There are several sessions, which will be delivered using an all-in-one head-mounted display. Each session varies in duration approximately from 3 to 15 minutes.
Device: Relievrx
The RelieVRx program is a prescription-use immersive virtual reality system intended to provide adjunctive treatment based on cognitive behavioral therapy skills and other evidence-based behavioral methods for patients (age 18 and older) with a diagnosis of chronic lower back pain (defined as moderate to severe pain lasting longer than three months). The device is intended for in-home use for the reduction of pain and pain interference associated with chronic lower back pain.
Placebo Comparator: Audio Mp4 arm
In the audio intervention, participants will complete the scheduled module 5 times a week of the intervention. The content is similar to that of the VR, which will be delivered by the audio player. Each session varies in duration approximately from 3 to 15 minutes.
Other: Audio Mp4
Audio Mp4 modules ranging from 3-15 minutes with guided meditation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
VR effect on perceived pain
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
During daily intervention sessions (VR), participants will be required to do a pre-intervention and post-intervention survey regarding their pain (REDCAP visual analog pain survey). The post-surveys will be compared to the pre-surveys to determine VR's effect on participant pain. The surveys incorporate the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0-100, 0 being no pain experienced and 100 being the most pain experienced.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
VR effect on perceived anxiety
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Participants will take the PROMIS anxiety prior to intervention, and weekly throughout 4 week study period. Each follow-up survey will be compared to the baseline survey to determine VR's effect on participant anxiety. The PROMIS anxiety scale ranges from 7-35, 7 being the least anxious and 35 being the most anxious.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Audio effect on perceived pain
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
During daily intervention sessions (audio), participants will be required to do a pre-intervention and post-intervention survey regarding their pain (REDCAP visual analog pain survey). The post-surveys will be compared to the pre-surveys to determine audio MP4's effect on participant pain. The surveys incorporate the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0-100, 0 being no pain experienced and 100 being the most pain experienced.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Audio effect on perceived fatigue
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Participants will take the PROMIS fatigue prior to intervention, and weekly throughout 4 week study period. Each follow-up survey will be compared to the baseline survey to determine audio MP4's effect on participant fatigue. The PROMIS fatigue scale ranges from 0-50, 0 being no fatigue and 50 meaning the most fatigue.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Audio effect on perceived anxiety
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Participants will take the PROMIS anxiety prior to intervention, and weekly throughout 4 week study period. Each follow-up survey will be compared to the baseline survey to determine audio MP4's effect on participant anxiety. The PROMIS anxiety scale ranges from 7-35, 7 being the least anxious and 35 being the most anxious.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Difference in effect of VR vs audio MP4 intervention on pain
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Scores from the daily pre and post pain surveys of each group with be compared to examine whether audio or VR had a greater impact on pain. The surveys incorporate the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0-100, 0 being no pain experienced and 100 being the most pain experienced.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Difference in effect of VR vs audio MP4 intervention on fatigue
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Scores from the baseline and weekly PROMIS fatigue surveys will be compared between VR and audio MP4 groups to determine if there was a differential effect on fatigue. The PROMIS fatigue scale ranges from 0-50, 0 being no fatigue and 50 meaning the most fatigue.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Difference in effect of VR vs audio MP4 intervention on anxiety
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Scores from the baseline and weekly PROMIS anxiety surveys will be compared between VR and audio MP4 groups to determine if there was a differential effect on anxiety. The PROMIS anxiety scale ranges from 7-35, 7 being the least anxious and 35 being the most anxious.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
VR effect on perceived depression
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Participants will take the PROMIS depression prior to intervention, and weekly throughout 4 week study period. Each follow-up survey will be compared to the baseline survey to determine VR's effect on participant depression. The PROMIS depression scale ranges from 4-20, 4 being the least depressed and 20 being the most depressed.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Audio effect on perceived depression
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Participants will take the PROMIS depression prior to intervention, and weekly throughout 4 week study period. Each follow-up survey will be compared to the baseline survey to determine audio MP4's effect on participant depression. The PROMIS depression scale ranges from 4-20, 4 being the least depressed and 20 being the most depressed.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Difference in effect of VR vs audio MP4 intervention on depression
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Scores from the baseline and weekly PROMIS depression surveys will be compared between VR and audio MP4 groups to determine if there was a differential effect on depression. The PROMIS depression scale ranges from 4-20, 4 being the least depressed and 20 being the most depressed.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
VR effect on perceived fatigue
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)
Participants will take the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) fatigue prior to intervention, and weekly throughout 4 week study period. Each follow-up survey will be compared to the baseline survey to determine VR's effect on participant fatigue. The PROMIS fatigue scale ranges from 0-50, 0 being no fatigue and 50 meaning the most fatigue.
Baseline to end of intervention (4 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

December 4, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

April 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 18, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 30, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

February 8, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 27, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HP-00108489

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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