Multimodal virtual reality program to reduce anxiety before cancer surgery
Official title: Feasibility of a Multimodal Virtual Reality Intervention to Reduce Preoperative Anxiety in Cancer Surgery Patients
Run by University of Manitoba · NCT07366515 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will try a virtual reality program to see if it reduces anxiety for adults preparing for cancer surgery.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Manitoba Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Winnipeg, Manitoba) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 22, 2026 |
| Main results expected | June 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | June 30, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | May 5, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07366515 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (18+) who read and speak English, have a cancer diagnosis, and are scheduled for oncologic surgery under general anesthesia at Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg who can provide informed consent and use VR.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who cannot provide informed consent or who have visual, auditory, or motor impairments that prevent effective VR participation, as well as non-English speakers or those having surgery elsewhere, are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a feasibility trial at Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg testing an expanded multimodal virtual reality (VR) intervention delivered before oncologic surgery. The team will measure feasibility by tracking recruitment, retention, engagement, and participant feedback on each VR component, and will monitor for any adverse effects. Investigators will explore whether baseline anxiety or psychiatric history predicts response and whether providing first-person VR session recordings for later access is useful. Preliminary pilot outcomes will examine whether greater engagement with the VR intervention is associated with lower anxiety on the day of surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could lower preoperative anxiety and distress for cancer surgery patients, improving the perioperative experience and possibly recovery.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies using VR for perioperative anxiety have shown mixed but generally promising reductions in anxiety, although the use of a multimodal program with recorded first-person session access is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Patients will be deemed eligible for inclusion if they: (a) are 18 years of age or older; (b) are able to speak and read English; (c) have received a cancer diagnosis; and (d) are scheduled, or in the process of being scheduled to undergo oncological surgery under general anesthesia at the Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg. Patients will be deemed ineligible if they are unable to provide informed consent (e.g., due to cognitive impairment) or if they have any visual, auditory and/or motor impairments that would preclude effective participation in the Virtual Reality intervention.
Where it's running
-
Health Sciences Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Renee El-Gabalawy, PhD — University of Manitoba
- Study coordinator: Cassidy Santos, BA (Hons.)
- Email: csantos17@hsc.mb.ca
- Phone: 204-787-7424
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
FAPI-PET/CT imaging for diagnosing and staging pancreatic cancer
This study will try 18F‑FAPI‑74 PET/CT scans in adults with suspected or recurrent pancreatic cancer to see if they detect lymph node spread and distant metastases more accurately.
-
Evaluating pain management methods for minimally invasive cancer surgery
This study is testing which pain management method works best for people undergoing minimally invasive cancer surgery by comparing three different approaches.
-
Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation to Boost Exercise in Spinal Cord Injury
Researchers are testing whether a skin-friendly spinal stimulation method can help people with spinal cord injury exercise more effectively.
-
Effect of peripheral repetitive magnetic stimulation on elbow or wrist pain
This pilot study tests whether two days of active peripheral repetitive magnetic stimulation can reduce pain in adults with tennis/golfer’s elbow or carpal tunnel syndrome, compared with a sham treatment.
-
Relaxing VR and glucose response after white bread in healthy adults
This small crossover pilot tests whether a relaxing VR experience affects post-meal blood glucose after eating white bread in healthy adults.
-
Online course to help adults manage parasomnias
This trial tests whether a four-week online course can help adults with parasomnias reduce how often episodes happen and how distressed they feel.
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.