A game to help older adults with cancer manage nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy
Official title: Serious gaming for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in older adults with cancer: A randomized clinical trial
Funded at University of Central Florida · NIH-11120850 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores if a special computer game can help older adults with cancer feel better and manage nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Central Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orlando, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $515,297 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NR020003-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11120850 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults, specifically those 65 years of age or older, who have cancer and are receiving chemotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not receiving chemotherapy or are not older adults may not directly benefit from this specific intervention.
What this research studies
Older adults with cancer often experience severe nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, which they may not manage effectively, leading to reduced daily functioning and increased healthcare visits. This project introduces a 'serious game' called eSSET-CINV, an educational simulation designed to teach older adults how to prevent and manage these symptoms. Players interact with an avatar experiencing nausea after chemotherapy, making decisions to practice self-management strategies. The goal is to empower patients to take a more active role in managing their symptoms at home, potentially improving their quality of life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this game could help older adults with cancer reduce their nausea and vomiting, improve their daily life, and potentially avoid emergency room visits.
How similar studies have gone: A preliminary study showed that older adults who used the eSSET-CINV intervention employed twice as many preventative strategies for nausea and vomiting, indicating promise for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Central Florida
Orlando, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Loerzel, Victoria — University of Central Florida
- Study coordinator: Loerzel, Victoria
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Serious gaming to help older adults prevent and manage chemotherapy-induced nausea
A game-based education program helps people 65 and older manage nausea from cancer treatment at home.
-
Using serious games to help older cancer patients manage chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
This study is testing a fun game designed to help older adults with cancer learn how to better handle nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, so they can feel more in control of their treatment and improve their quality of life.
-
Photodynamic lipids to boost chemotherapy for metastatic ovarian cancer
A patient-friendly approach tests a light-activated method to make ovarian cancer metastases more sensitive to chemotherapy.
-
Dual targeting of heart cell receptors to prevent chemotherapy heart damage
Atrial patients receiving the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin may be protected from heart damage by targeting two heart cell receptors at once.
-
A 3D ultrasound scanner to see early chemotherapy response in breast cancer
A new 3D ultrasound imaging method will be tested to see if it can quickly show whether breast cancer is responding to chemotherapy.
-
Non-invasive, microscopic biomarkers to detect CIPN in chemotherapy patients
This grant aims to develop a non-invasive imaging method to measure nerve changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy to better understand and monitor chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.