New ‘virtual fatigue’ apparatus gives professionals a feel for cancer symptom

Using the latest computer technologies, Seattle-area medical professionals and caregivers had a chance to get a sense of the debilitating fatigue that an estimated 80 percent of cancer patients actually endure during their illness. The fatigue is often caused by anemia, an abnormally low level of red blood cells, a common complication of cancer and treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

“In My Steps,” a virtual reality technology that simulates the exhaustion and frustration associated with cancer fatigue, was shown to cancer-care professionals last month at Cancer Lifeline offices in Fremont.

“Although it is often overlooked and undertreated, fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of people with cancer,” said Dr. Julie Gralow, medical oncologist at UW Medical Center, which is co-sponsoring the demonstration. “Fatigue prevents patients from pursuing normal activities, and frequently may prevent them from completing therapy that could prolong their lives and improve their quality of life.

“In My Steps” is designed to help clinicians and caregivers gain a better understanding of fatigue associated with cancer. A 15-minute simulation allows the participants to experience firsthand what it’s like to live with chemotherapy-related fatigue while trying to perform everyday tasks.

The user sits in a specially designed chair with movable foot pads, wearing a helmet that provides audio and visual input. The participant becomes the cancer patient, using virtual reality to move from room to room in a simulated home while attempting to perform routine tasks that become increasingly taxing. The simulator will not move faster than it is programmed, no matter how hard the user presses the pedals; this creates the simulation of fatigue and frustration that so many patients experience.

The simulator is funded through an educational grant from Ortho Biotech, Inc., and is currently touring the country.

Chronic cancer-related anemia has traditionally been treated with blood transfusions, which may cause complications in about 20 percent of cases. Medications to induce production of red blood cells, proper nutrition, vitamin and mineral supplements, antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications, lifestyle modifications, and psychological counseling also may help alleviate fatigue associated with cancer and anemia. ¶

Claire Dietz