Feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of virtual reality as a patient education tool for people with cancer undergoing immunotherapy: a randomised controlled pilot study in a regional setting

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Cancer; Patient education; Cancer - Any cancer

• Registration Number: ACTRN12622001473752
• Lead Sponsor: Central West Cancer Care Centre, Orange Health Service

Brief Summary

Not available

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2022-11-23
• Last Update Posted: 6 May 2024

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ot yet recruiting
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 36

Inclusion Criteria

Patients will be eligible to participate if they meet the following criteria:

a) are 18 years and over,

b) are diagnosed with a reportable cancer of any stage (e.g., melanoma, kidney cancer, mesothelioma, lung cancer) that will be treated with immunotherapy alone,

c) are due to start only immunotherapy agents (i.e., patients may not receive any other treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy),

d) are able to understand English, and

e) are able to give their own consent.

Exclusion Criteria

Patients will be excluded if they:

a) have a condition that interferes with VR usage, including but not limited to seizures, facial injury precluding safe placement of headset, and visual impairments;

b) have a prognosis of <3 months from the time of enrolment per treating oncologist or;

c) receiving other systemic cancer therapies in combination with immunotherapy

d) have a pre-existing severe mental health diagnosis or significant cognitive impairment, such as severe dementia that would impair their comprehension and/or ability to provide informed consent

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified