Personalized oxygen and breathing support for cancer-related breathlessness

Strategies for Personalizing Oxygen and support Therapies for dyspnea in Oncology

NIH-funded research University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11326219

This trial compares a respiratory-therapist-led program that tailors oxygen and other breathing supports to help hospitalized patients with advanced cancer who are bothered by breathlessness.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Houston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11326219 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be randomly assigned to either a personalized program led by a respiratory therapist that tries short, time-limited trials of oxygen and other breathing supports tailored to you, or to enhanced usual care. Respiratory therapists will work with you to try different combinations and adjust treatments based on how your breathing responds and how you feel. The main aim is to see if the personalized approach reduces breathlessness and helps you function better and feel more comfortable. People in the usual-care group may be offered the personalized program later through a wait-list design.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults with advanced cancer who are hospitalized and experiencing significant, distressing breathlessness are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without bothersome breathlessness, those not hospitalized, or patients whose breathlessness stems from an unrelated acute medical emergency may not benefit from this trial.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce breathlessness, improve daily function and quality of life, and offer better palliative care options for people with advanced cancer.

How similar studies have performed: Previous trials of low-flow oxygen and opioids generally showed limited benefit, so this personalized, therapist-led approach is relatively new though the team’s preliminary data suggest it may help.

Where this research is happening

Houston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Advanced CancerCancer PatientCancers
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.