Chatbot Tested to Reduce Distress in Head and Neck Cancer Radiotherapy
Tests a chatbot for distress in adults with head and neck cancer during radiotherapy.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: An Oncology Nurse AI Agent to Reduce Cancer Distress During Radiotherapy
Key facts
- Where
- Hong Kong, Hong KongSee the 2 sites
Where in Hong Kong
- Queen Mary HospitalHong Kong, Hong KongTaking people
- The University of Hong KongHong Kong, Hong KongNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- The University of Hong Kong
- Trial code
- NCT06636188
- Record updated
- 9 March 2026
- Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the effectiveness of the Digi-Coach chatbot for reducing physical and psychological distress in people undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.Read full original descriptionShow less
An Oncology Nurse Artificial Intelligence Agent to Reduce Cancer Distress of Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy: A Mixed-Methods Randomized Controlled Trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the effectiveness of the Digi-Coach chatbot for reducing physical and psychological distress in people undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.
The main question it aims to answer is: How effective is the Digi-Coach chatbot in reducing physical and psychological distress?
Researchers will compare Digi-Coach chatbot to usual nursing care to see if Digi-Coach chatbot is effective for reducing physical and psychological distress in people undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.
Participants will have access to the Digi-Coach chatbot during radiotherapy in addition to usual care. The research nurse will provide training on how to navigate the chatbot and ask participants to query all their cancer-related concerns in the chatbot.
Inclusion: aged 18 and above; are able to read and speak Cantonese or Mandarin fluently; have a new, primary diagnosis of head and neck/laryngeal cancer; are waiting to receive a full course of curative-intent, external beam radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy; have a Karnofsky performance score ≥70; have distress scored 3 or above on the NCCN distress thermometer.
Exclusion: insufficient command of Chinese; have any other factors precluding the ability to give informed consent or comply with the protocol.