Empowered Relief pain-management class for cancer survivors
Official title: Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of Empowered Relief® for Cancer Survivors With Chronic Pain
Run by University of Oklahoma · NCT07578376 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether a single 2-hour Zoom Empowered Relief class helps cancer survivors with chronic pain reduce pain and pain-related distress.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 120 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 215 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Oklahoma Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Tulsa, Oklahoma) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 2027 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2029 |
| Study ends | April 30, 2030 |
| Registry record updated | November 6, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07578376 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are English-speaking cancer survivors who have completed active treatment, are currently cancer-free, experience body pain most or every day for at least three months, and have access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with significant cognitive or psychiatric impairment that limits participation, those with life‑threatening acute illness, or those without internet-capable devices are unlikely to benefit or be eligible for the trial.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized, controlled study will assign eligible cancer survivors with chronic pain to either a single-session, 2-hour Zoom Empowered Relief (ER) class or a waitlist control, with the waitlist offered the class after a 3-month observation period. The ER class is a skills-based session led by certified instructors that teaches three core pain-relief techniques, creates a personalized plan, and provides access to a binaural audio app plus daily supportive text messages. Participants will complete online surveys at 1, 2, and 3 months after the class and outcomes from class participants will be compared with those who remain on the waitlist. The trial aims to enroll 250 participants to achieve about 200 completers and is conducted from the University of Oklahoma with class delivery via Zoom.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this brief, Zoom-delivered class could offer an accessible self-management option that reduces pain intensity, pain-related distress, and related symptoms for cancer survivors.
How similar studies have gone: Empowered Relief has shown moderate efficacy in chronic non-cancer pain populations and been adopted in several major centers, but it has not previously been tested specifically in cancer survivors.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: History of cancer diagnosis, completion of active cancer treatment, cancer free at the time of enrollment, experience of body pain most or every day, pain duration at least 3 months, and English fluency. Exclusion Criteria: Significant psychological and cognitive impairment that limits one's ability to complete study tasks (completion of online survey, attending the zoom-based ER class). Life-threatening acute illness (e.g., infection, heart attack, injury), and no access to a computer, a smartphone or a tablet.
Where it's running
-
University of Oklahoma Schusterman Center - Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Sophia You, PhD, ABPP — University of Oklahoma
- Study coordinator: Sophia You, PhD, ABPP
- Email: Dokyoung-You@ou.edu
- Phone: 918-660-3923
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Pain catastrophizing and postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic gallbladder removal
This study will test whether people who tend to magnify or dwell on pain are more likely to have nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
-
Using self-adjusted nitrous oxide to manage pain and anxiety during vasectomy
This study is testing if letting patients control their nitrous oxide levels during a vasectomy can help reduce their pain and anxiety.
-
Biopsy-site marker stiffness in breast cancer
This observational study will see if the stiffness of biopsy-site markers relates to inflammation and potential spread in women with breast cancer.
-
Protoacoustic Imaging to See Radiation Delivery in Proton Therapy
This study tests radioacoustic imaging with ultrasound to help doctors see where proton therapy is delivering radiation for liver and prostate cancer patients.
-
Modified FOLFIRINOX with Pentamidine in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
This study tests whether adding pentamidine to a modified FOLFIRINOX regimen helps people with advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer.
-
Testing Alcohol Health Warning Labels for US Adults
A randomized online study will test different warning statements about alcohol and breast cancer risk among adult US women who drink or are young non-drinkers to see which warnings are most convincing.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.