Rocket VR Announces New Study Exploring The Impact of Virtual Reality Therapeutics on Chronic Pain in Cancer Patients

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Research with renowned oncology expert Dr. Linda Carlson will assess feasibility of a virtual reality guided mindfulness program

BOSTON, May 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocket VR Health, a digital therapeutics company developing immersive therapy programs, is pleased to announce a new study in partnership with Dr. Linda Carlson, Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology at the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine. The first-of-its-kind study will assess the feasibility of a virtual reality guided mindfulness (VRGM) intervention program in adult cancer patients with chronic cancer-related pain (CRP).

CRP has a significant negative impact on quality of life. The prevalence of CRP has been estimated at 30–50% in patients undergoing cancer treatment and more than 70% in patients with advanced disease. Mindfulness is hypothesized to mitigate chronic CRP by regulating both physical and emotional resistance to pain. Virtual reality provides an immersive and engaging environment which may enhance one's focused attention to present moment experiences, potentially making mindfulness easier and more effective for individuals with chronic pain.

"Our team at Rocket VR believes virtual reality therapies have the potential to change the way cancer care is delivered," said Sid Desai, CEO and Co-Founder of Rocket VR Health. "We are passionate about accelerating virtual reality research to address the unmet health needs of cancer patients and survivors. Collaborating with leading cancer centers and experts like Dr. Carlson will bring us one step closer to developing leading evidence-based digital therapeutics for cancer patients and survivors."

Fifteen cancer survivors will be enrolled in a six-week, home-based intervention that consists of approximately 15 minutes of daily VRGM practice. Participants will be assessed on psychosocial outcome measures before and after the study, including pain, sleep, depressive and anxiety symptoms, fatigue, quality of life, and mindfulness.

"Even in the face of something as difficult and life-threatening as cancer, mindfulness can be a tool for personal and collective growth and transformation," said Dr. Linda Carlson, Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology at the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine. "Through the 'Virtual Mind' study, Rocket VR Health is helping us gauge the potential of virtual reality technologies to achieve meaningful clinical improvements for cancer patients."

This study has been approved by the Health Research Ethics Board of Alberta-Cancer Committee and is currently underway. This study will provide the foundation needed to design and conduct larger studies to examine the efficacy of VRGM in improving chronic CRP and treating other symptoms related to quality of life and morbidity. Despite the potential benefits of VRGM for cancer patients with chronic CRP, there has been little research in this area.

About Rocket VR Health
Rocket VR Health is developing immersive prescription digital therapeutics to address unmet mental health needs in cancer patients and survivors. Rocket VR digital interventions take clinically validated treatments and transform them into on-demand VR programs that make psychosocial care for cancer more effective, accessible, and data-driven.

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