VE: Virtual Environments in Patients Receiving Treatment for Cancer
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The mood disturbances that lung cancer patients experience during and after chemotherapy have a debilitating effect on their quality of life. The goal of the proposed project is to develop and test an intervention that relies on the use of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) to combat the adverse psychological/emotional consequences of receiving treatment for cancer. Although VR has been used with success to treat various psychological conditions (e.g., phobias, PTSD), its potential in helping cancer patients experience an improved mood and hence better quality of life has not yet been tested. In this project the investigators will first develop the virtual content (e.g., natural scenes) that patients will experience within a Head-Mounted-Display, simulating movement by manipulating a gesture controller. The investigators will then carry out a randomized, double blind, crossover trial with 50 hospitalized cancer patients to test whether they can benefit psychologically and emotionally from their interaction with an immersive environment compared to those who will experience a guided imagery intervention. A positive result will open the route for the future development of affordable self-administered VR solutions for treating the psychological side-effects of cancer treatment.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
Although VR has been used with success to treat various psychological conditions (e.g., phobias, PTSD), its potential in helping cancer patients experience an improved mood and hence better quality of life has not yet been tested. In this project the investigators will first develop the virtual content (e.g., natural scenes) that patients will experience within a Head-Mounted-Display, simulating movement by manipulating a gesture controller. The investigators will then carry out a randomized, double blind, crossover trial with 50 hospitalized cancer patients to test whether they can benefit psychologically and emotionally from their interaction with an immersive environment compared to those who will experience a guided imagery intervention. A positive result will open the route for the future development of affordable self-administered VR solutions for treating the psychological side-effects of cancer treatment.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Intervention VE Session of Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) and Session of Guided Imagery |
Behavioral: Immersive Virtual Reality (VR)
Patients in this group will experience the virtual content (e.g., natural scenes) through a Head-Mounted-Display, simulating movement by manipulating a gesture controller. Following a resting period the patients will then experience the guided imagery session (e.g. visual images of pleasant scenery)
Behavioral: Guided Imagery
Patients in this group will experience the guided imagery (e.g. visual images of pleasant scenery). Following a resting period the patients will then experience the virtual content (e.g., natural scenes) through a Head-Mounted-Display, simulating movement by manipulating a gesture controller
|
| Active Comparator: Intervention GI Session of Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) and Session of Guided Imagery |
Behavioral: Immersive Virtual Reality (VR)
Patients in this group will experience the virtual content (e.g., natural scenes) through a Head-Mounted-Display, simulating movement by manipulating a gesture controller. Following a resting period the patients will then experience the guided imagery session (e.g. visual images of pleasant scenery)
Behavioral: Guided Imagery
Patients in this group will experience the guided imagery (e.g. visual images of pleasant scenery). Following a resting period the patients will then experience the virtual content (e.g., natural scenes) through a Head-Mounted-Display, simulating movement by manipulating a gesture controller
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Changes in Mood Disturbances as measured by the POMS [Baseline and then participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention, an expected average of 8 days]
The POMS total mood disturbance comprises subscales that evaluate anxiety, depression, anger, vigor, fatigue, and confusion. The possible range of scores for the TMDS is -40 through 192 with higher scores indicating greater mood. Lower scores indicate an improvement in mood
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Changes in Quality of Life as measured by FACT-G [Baseline and then participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention, an expected average of 8 days]
FACT-G, is a self-report instrument consisting of 27-items
- Changes in Blood Pressure [Baseline and then participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention, an expected average of 8 days]
Measurement of Blood Pressure
- Changes in Heart Rate [Baseline and then participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention, an expected average of 8 days]
Measurement of Heart Rate
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
-
Patients will be included if they had a histopathological diagnosis of cancer (different types are allowed)
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were 18 years or older, on active treatment and were receiving care at the hospital as inpatients
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Eligible participants will need to be able to speak and understand Greek and they had given written informed consent
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Participants should also have a score of >60 on the POMS total mood disturbance scale, a >50 on the Karnofsky Performance Scale Index
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a mean of >50 on the Attentional Function Index (AFI)
Exclusion Criteria:
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Patients were excluded if they were receiving palliative care
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they had an impaired cognitive ability or
-
they had an impaired visual ability
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Medical Centre | Nicosia | Cyprus | 2047 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Cyprus University of Technology
- University of Cyprus
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Andreas Charalambous, andreas.charalambous@cut.ac.cy
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- AC-VES-91