NCT06769165

EMDR Treatment of Conditioned Nausea and Vomiting in Cancer Survivors

EMDR Treatment of Conditioned Nausea and Vomiting in Cancer Survivors - a Pilot Study

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Medical Center Groningen · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 16 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

To explore the effectiveness of EMDR therapy treatment in reducing symptoms of chemotherapy-induced conditioned nausea and vomiting in (former) patients with cancer.

Detailed description

Conditioned nausea and vomiting is a common side effect of anti-cancer treatment, and while strategies like antiemetics exist, their effectiveness is limited. Conditioned nausea and vomiting can possibly be addressed through Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR therapy is a therapeutic intervention, proven to be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and promising in treating a range of other conditions. At the UMCG, EMDR therapy is used on a small scale to treat conditioned nausea with positive results, although more rigorous research is needed to fully establish its efficacy. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of EMDR therapy treatment in reducing symptoms of chemotherapy-induced conditioned nausea and vomiting in (former) patients with cancer.

Conditions

• Cancer Survivors

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	EMDR therapy	In this study, EMDR therapy will be performed by psychologists of the UMCG who are trained in EMDR therapy and who have experience with patients with somatic diseases. In the EMDR therapy protocol, the patient is guided through eight phases which incorporate dual focus of attention and alternating bilateral visual, auditory, and/or tactile stimulation (see supplement for protocol). The number of sessions varies per patient (1-3 sessions), depending on the desensitization of the conditioned stimuli. The sessions will last 60-90 minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-07-02
• Primary completion: 2026-08-01
• Completion: 2026-08-01
• First posted: 2025-01-10
• Last updated: 2025-12-11

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Netherlands