Virtual reality to distract from pain and anxiety during blood cancer procedures
Official title: Virtual Reality to Reduce Pain and Anxiety in Hematological Cancer Patients Undergoing Invasive Procedures: Protocol for a Crossover Clinical Trial
Run by University of Sfax · NCT07085065 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tries whether wearing a virtual reality headset during procedures can reduce pain and anxiety for people aged 6 and older with blood cancers.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 6 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 365 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Sfax Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | Chemotherapy |
| Locations | 1 site (Tunis, Sfax Governorate) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 1, 2024 |
| Main results expected | July 31, 2025 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2025 |
| Registry record updated | July 25, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07085065 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are people aged 6 or older with a confirmed hematologic malignancy who will undergo bone marrow biopsy/aspiration, lumbar puncture, venipuncture, or chemotherapy.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with unstable or photosensitive epilepsy, significant hearing/visual/inner-ear impairments, severe psychiatric or cognitive disorders, active contagious diseases, communication difficulties, or those who remove the VR headset during the procedure may not receive benefit.
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 prospective interventional crossover trial where each participant first receives standard care during a procedure, has at least a seven-day washout, and then repeats the procedure with a VR session so each patient can act as their own control; an external matched-control group by age and procedure type is also included. Procedures covered include bone marrow biopsy and aspiration, lumbar puncture, venipuncture, and some chemotherapy visits. The intervention is a VR session delivered during the procedure intended to distract patients and lower perceived pain and anxiety. Outcomes compare patient-reported pain and anxiety between the standard-care and VR sessions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, VR could lower pain and anxiety during invasive procedures and make those visits more comfortable for patients with hematologic malignancies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous smaller studies in other clinical settings have shown that VR can reduce procedure-related pain and anxiety, but high-quality data specifically in hematologic malignancy procedures remain limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria * being ≥ 6 years old * having a confirmed diagnosis of a hematological malignancy * undergoing at least one of the following procedures: Bone Marrow Biopsy, Bone Marrow Aspiration, Lumbar Puncture, Venipuncture, or Chemotherapy. Exclusion Criteria: * unstable or photosensitive epilepsy * hearing, visual, or inner ear impairments * severe psychiatric, cognitive, or mental disorders * Contagious diseases * Communication difficulties * Patients who withdraw consent * Patient who remove the VR headset during the procedure
Where it's running
-
Clinical hematology department of unversity hospital of Hedi Chaker of Sfax, Tunisia
Tunis, Sfax Governorate, Tunisia Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Yesmine Amara, PhD student
- Email: benmahmoud_lobna@medecinesfax.org
- Phone: 00 216 50 260 564
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Virtual Reality Therapy to Improve Arthroplasty Outcomes
This pilot test checks whether using virtual reality during the perioperative period helps knee or hip replacement patients feel better about their care and recover more easily.
-
Giving Children a Voice in Pediatric Anesthesia
This project tests whether asking children, parents, and clinicians about priorities can shape future pediatric anesthesia research in Switzerland.
-
Single-session intervention to change ambiguity aversion
This trial tests whether one brief intervention can change how adults with intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety make ambiguous decisions and how their brains respond.
-
Preoperative fear and its effect on postoperative pain and recovery
This research tries to see if fear or anxiety before scheduled surgery makes postoperative pain worse or affects recovery in adults having planned operations.
-
See if preoperative anxiety affects recovery after major digestive cancer surgery
This study tests whether anxiety before surgery is linked to more complications after major digestive cancer operations in French-speaking adults.
-
Mindful Smartphone Use: A Mindfulness-Based Program for Teens with Sleep and Mood Challenges
This study tests Mindwire, a mindfulness-based program, to see if it helps teens with problematic phone use who also have depression or anxiety.
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.