Virtual reality for cancer pain relief and opioid reduction

Digital Intervention for Symptom Management in Cancer and Opioid Sparing Using Virtual Reality (DISCOVR) - Feasibility, Acceptability, Usability Testing of a Novel Intervention

This project will try virtual reality headsets with adults who have chronic moderate-to-severe cancer pain and take opioids to see if it lowers pain and opioid needs.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 25 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Medstar Health Research Institute (other)
• Locations: 1 site (Washington D.C., District of Columbia)
• Trial ID: NCT07228377 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Investigators will gather patient input and stakeholder feedback to design a VR program tailored to chronic cancer pain and build a patient-centered prototype. They will enroll adults with active solid tumors who report chronic cancer pain (≥3 months) with baseline pain ≥4/10 and who are prescribed chronic opioid therapy to test feasibility, acceptability, usability, and safety. The work uses an iterative development process with interviews, prototype testing, patient-reported outcomes, and safety monitoring, refining the VR intervention based on participant feedback. Successful completion will inform larger trials examining efficacy and opioid-sparing effects.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults (≥18) with an active solid-tumor cancer diagnosis, chronic cancer-related pain lasting at least three months with baseline pain ≥4/10, and who are prescribed chronic opioid therapy are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Patients whose pain is primarily non-cancer in origin, or who have contraindications to VR such as seizure disorder, severe motion sickness, cranial abnormalities preventing headset use, or inability to complete surveys in English or Spanish are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, a patient-centered VR program could reduce cancer-related pain, improve quality of life, and lower reliance on opioid medications.

How similar studies have performed: Previous VR research has shown promising pain relief in acute and some chronic pain conditions, but VR has not been extensively tested specifically for chronic cancer pain, so evidence is encouraging but limited.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* age ≥18 years old
* living with active cancer diagnosis (any solid tumor type)
* report chronic cancer pain (≥3 months) with baseline severity moderate-severe (i.e., self-report pain score (SRPS) ≥4/10, where 0=no pain, 10=worst pain)
* prescribed chronic opioid therapies (may be long-acting formulations, short-acting formulations, or both)

Exclusion Criteria:

* history of intractable nausea/vomiting, motion sickness, seizures/epilepsy, and/or cranial structure abnormalities preventing VR headset use
* moderate-severe pain of non-cancer etiology (e.g., chronic lumbago)
* enrolled in another pain study
* unable to complete surveys in English or Spanish.

Where this trial is running

Washington D.C., District of Columbia

• MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Washington Hospital Center — Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Hunter Groninger, MD — Medstar Health Research Institute
• Study coordinator: Hunter Groninger, MD

Conditions: Cancer, cancer pain, chronic pain, opioid, virtual reality, technology