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.
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 Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
50
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)
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
American Medical Centre
Nicosia, Cyprus
Changes in Mood Disturbances as measured by the POMS
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
Time frame: Baseline and then participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention, an expected average of 8 days
Changes in Quality of Life as measured by FACT-G
FACT-G, is a self-report instrument consisting of 27-items
Time frame: Baseline and then participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention, an expected average of 8 days
Changes in Blood Pressure
Measurement of Blood Pressure
Time frame: Baseline and then participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention, an expected average of 8 days
Changes in Heart Rate
Measurement of Heart Rate
Time frame: Baseline and then participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention, an expected average of 8 days
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