Virtual Reality Therapy for Cancer-Treatment Associated Symptoms

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.

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.

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