Purpose

The main goal of this study is to test a virtual reality (VR) program, Survivors' Virtual Reality Survivorship Experience (SurviVRSE), designed to help Breast Cancer survivors (n=30) learn about heart health. The aims are to test the usability, feasibility, and acceptability o the intervention. Additionally, follow-up assessments will examine changes in women's cancer therapy related cardiac dysfunction knowledge and heart healthy behaviors (e.g., physical activity).

Conditions

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Sex
Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • 18 years of age or older - Able to speak and read in English - Actively receiving Trastuzumab or an anthracycline-based treatment - Diagnosed with stages 0-III Breast Cancer

Exclusion Criteria

  • History of prior Breast Cancer diagnosis (i.e., not their first breast cancer diagnosis)

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Virtual Reality Group
Individuals in this arm will receive access to the virtual reality in cardiovascular health education and gaming intervention
  • Behavioral: Cardiovascular Health Education and Gaming through Virtual Reality
    Prior to engaging the intervention, participants will complete a baseline survey. The virtual reality intervention will be delivered at one infusion treatment. Participants will complete all education modules and affiliated games. The education focuses on potentially cardiotoxic treatments (e.g., anthracyclines), ways to identify cancer treatment related cardiovascular dysfunction, and heart healthy behaviors that survivors can initiate during survivorship. Following the intervention participants will complete a survey similar to the baseline survey. One-month following the intervention participants will complete one final survey.

Recruiting Locations

Adult Outpatient Pavilion
Richmond, Virginia 23220
Contact:
Victoria Williams
804-827-7363
williamsv4@vcu.edu

Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant Department
Richmond, Virginia 23220
Contact:
Victoria Williams
804-827-7363
williamsv4@vcu.edu

VCU Health at Stony Point
Richmond, Virginia 23223
Contact:
Victoria Williams
804-827-7363
williamsv4@vcu.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Virginia Commonwealth University

Study Contact

Arnethea Sutton, Ph.D
8048277363
careslab@vcu.edu

Detailed Description

The long-term goal is to develop multilevel interventions and inform practice guidelines that mitigate the cancer therapy related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) burden in breast cancer survivors. The overall objective of this of this application is to develop and test a virtual reality (VR) intervention to educate breast survivors about their risk of developing CTRCD following treatment and about behavioral approaches to potentially mitigate risk. VR is emerging as an effective method for improving health-related knowledge, specifically in the context of CTRCD and cardiovascular risk factors, by allowing users to actively engage in medical content. Moreover, content can be tailored to groups of people and to each individual user. The central hypothesis is that the VR intervention will increase women's knowledge of the potential cardiovascular side effects of their treatment and of behavior modifications that may protect their hearts. This hypothesis was formulated preliminary data showing that survivors who received potentially cardiotoxic treatment recommended more information about their treatment and the importance of physical activity early in their primary treatment journey. The rationale for the proposed study is that although VR is gaining popularity as an educational tool, there remains a significant knowledge gap in its utilization in the context of cancer survivorship and implantation in clinic settings.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.