Clinical trial · Interventional
Cognitive Behavioral Theory-assisted Virtual Reality for Chronic CANcer Pain (VR-CAN)
Cognitive Behavioral Theory-assisted Virtual Reality for Chronic Cancer Pain (VR-CAN): Device Prototype Development and Feasibility Testing
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
While chronic cancer pain affecting as many as 75% of patients is typically addressed using pharmacologic interventions, experts and patients alike support maximizing any relevant non-pharmacologic interventions as well, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Virtual reality, a novel technology that can temporarily immerse users in a calm, pleasant environment, has been increasingly shown to facilitate improvement in different acute and chronic pain syndromes by providing distraction from pain and lowering pain sensation. To address the significant needs of patients living with chronic cancer pain, we aim to develop and pilot test a prototype device that will leverage cognitive behavioral therapy principles to deliver a novel virtual reality pain therapy. The investigators will do this through the following steps: Step 1. Develop and refine a CBT-assisted VR prototype for patients with chronic cancer pain (VR-CAN). Step 2. Conduct a randomized controlled trial to examine the feasibility, acceptability, usability, safety, and initial clinical impact of the developed VR-CAN prototype compared to a tablet-based two-dimensional video control group. Step 3. Collect and evaluate qualitative post-intervention data on VR-CAN participants' preferences, thoughts, and feelings about the VR-CAN technology and protocol to optimize for a future, larger, fully powered randomized controlled trial.
Conditions
Conditions (3)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | Malignant Neoplasm | ALIAS | 0.90 |
| Cancer Pain | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Chronic Cancer Pain | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Control -- two-dimensional tablet-delivered intervention | Device | — | UNRESOLVED |
| VR-CAN prototype chronic cancer pain therapy -- virtual reality program delivering CBT for chronic cancer pain management | Device | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Virtual reality delivered behavioral skills for pain management
- description
- Participants use VR-CAN therapy at home, 10 minutes per session, daily for 14 days
- interventionNames
- Device: VR-CAN prototype chronic cancer pain therapy -- virtual reality program delivering CBT for chronic cancer pain management
- type
- ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
- label
- Tablet-based delivery of behavioral skills for pain management
- description
- Participants use a two-dimensional skills-based intervention delivered by handheld tablet at home, 10 minutes per session, daily for 14 days
- interventionNames
- Device: Active Control -- two-dimensional tablet-delivered intervention
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * age at least 18 years old * cancer diagnosis, undergoing treatment * chronic cancer pain (i.e., cancer pain at least 3 months duration) with baseline pain severity at least 4/10 (where 0=no pain, 10=worst pain) Exclusion Criteria: * intractable nausea/vomiting, motion sickness, seizures/epilepsy, and/or cranial structures/abnormalities preventing VR headset use * moderate-severe pain of non-cancer etiology * enrolled in another pain study * unable to complete survey measures or interviews in English or Spanish
References
Publications (0)
Data not yet available