Virtual Agent for Lung Cancer

Overseen By Laura Alder, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Duke University

Disqualifiers: Vision, speech, auditory impairment, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

36 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests whether a virtual assistant or a human assistant better aids lung cancer patients in using remote monitoring devices at home. These devices allow patients to track their weight and vital signs, such as blood pressure and heart rate. The trial seeks patients with solid tumor cancer who plan to visit the Duke Cancer Center for three consecutive days. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive assistance from either the virtual or human assistant and will provide feedback on their experience. As an unphased trial, this study offers patients the chance to contribute to innovative research that could enhance remote healthcare support.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial team or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that this virtual agent is safe for onboarding oncology patients to RPM devices?

Research has shown that using virtual helpers for lung cancer care is generally safe. One study found that patients completed virtual visits for lung cancer screening as often as in-person visits, indicating effective patient management. Another study examined virtual reality for lung cancer patients and found it safe and acceptable. Although these studies do not specifically focus on virtual helpers for remote patient monitoring, they suggest that virtual health tools are generally well-received.

This trial is exploratory, testing new methods. While extensive safety data may not yet be available, using a virtual helper is not expected to pose risks. Prospective participants should know that virtual tools in healthcare are becoming more common and are generally safe according to current research. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the trial because it's exploring how virtual agents can support lung cancer patients, a fresh approach compared to traditional human-led support. Unlike standard care options like chemotherapy or targeted therapy, which focus on directly attacking cancer cells, this trial is about improving patient support and education through technology. Virtual agents can provide consistent, 24/7 assistance, potentially enhancing patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans. By comparing virtual agents to human agents, researchers hope to understand how technology might complement or even enhance human interaction in healthcare settings.

What evidence suggests that this trial's agents could be effective for onboarding lung cancer patients to RPM devices?

Research has shown that technology, such as virtual helpers, can significantly aid lung cancer patients in managing symptoms and enhancing their quality of life. In this trial, participants will receive support from either a Virtual Agent or a Human Agent. A study that combined results from multiple sources found that patients using electronic monitoring systems experienced a clear improvement in their health-related quality of life. This suggests that virtual helpers can effectively guide patients in using remote monitoring devices. Additionally, virtual care has been proven to maintain quality-of-life levels comparable to in-person care. These findings indicate that virtual helpers could be a valuable tool for supporting lung cancer patients in managing their health at home. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Laura Alder, MD

Principal Investigator

Duke University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 18 with lung cancer who can consent to share health info, have an ECOG score of 0-2 indicating they are fully active or limited in physical activity but able to care for themselves, speak fluent English, and meet specific vital sign criteria. They must plan to return to Duke Cancer Center clinic for three consecutive days.

Inclusion Criteria

I am willing to sign a consent form and allow my health information to be shared.

I am 18 years old or older.

I have lung cancer.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 week

Onboarding

Participants are onboarded to Remote Patient Monitoring devices using either a virtual or human agent

3 days

Remote onboarding via telephone

Follow-up

Participants complete questionnaires about their experience and usability of the onboarding process

1 week

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Human Agent
• Virtual Agent

Trial Overview The study compares a virtual agent versus a human agent instructing patients on using Remote Patient Monitoring devices by phone. These devices track weight and vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the agents and complete questionnaires about their experience.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Virtual agent Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Human agent Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Duke University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,495

Recruited

5,912,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12343835/

Systematic review on the technology's role in supporting lung ... This systematic review examines the role of technology-based interventions in supporting lung cancer patients during their treatment.

2. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41746-025-01812-x

Effectiveness of symptom monitoring on electronic patient ... The meta-analysis showed significant improvement in health-related quality of life (SMD = 2.44, P < 0.001) among patients with lung cancer.

3. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2823624

Telehealth vs In-Person Early Palliative Care for Patients ... Patients assigned to receive early palliative care via video visits reported quality-of-life scores at week 24 that were equivalent to those assigned to in- ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1361841525001239

Virtual lung screening trial (VLST): An in silico study ... This study aimed to show that a virtual imaging trial platform could investigate some key elements of a major clinical trial, specifically the NLST.

5. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/15/4374

The Usefulness of Virtual Reality in Symptom Management ... This study aims to assess VR's effectiveness on cancer-related symptoms, vital signs, and the patients' perception of chemotherapy in lung cancer patients.

6. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40053882/

Virtual Health Care Encounters for Lung Cancer Screening ... We collected data on patient characteristics, visit type, and LDCT completion from the electronic medical record. Associations among these ...

7. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40131484/

Assessing safety and feasibility of virtual reality intervention ... This study evaluated the safety, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of customized virtual reality (VR) software for people with lung cancer.

8. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41746-025-01913-7

Systematic review on the technology's role in supporting ... This systematic review examines the role of technology-based interventions in supporting lung cancer patients during their treatment.

9. ascopubs.org ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/CCI.24.00086

Virtual Health Care Encounters for Lung Cancer Screening ... Rates of LDCT completion were 95% after in-person visits and 97% after virtual visits (P = .13). Conclusion. In a safety-net lung cancer ...

10. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06682013

Virtual Agent Feasibility in Oncology Patients (NTT Data) A phase of research to describe clinical trials that focus on the safety of a drug. They are usually conducted with healthy volunteers, and the goal is to ...