Taking people in SwitzerlandNo phase

Brain scans of breathlessness in people with cancer, COPD or heart failure

Studies brain scans and virtual reality for breathlessness in adults with serious chronic illness.

Key facts

Who runs it: University Hospital, Geneva
Where: Geneva, SwitzerlandSee the site
Trial code: NCT07319039
Registry title: Breathlessness Patterns in Patients With Cancer, COPD and Heart Failure: an fMRI Feasibility Study
Status: Recruiting
People taking part: 16 people, planned
Started: 26 Aug 2025
Expected to end: 1 Mar 2027
Type of study: Observational
Treatments tested: Cerebral fMRI
Immersive virtual reality
Record updated: 8 January 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults with advanced cancer, COPD or heart failure who have lasting breathlessness. Healthy volunteers can also join as a control group.

Age: 18 years or older
Sex: All sexes
Disease stage: Heart failure NYHA stage III-IV, or COPD with breathlessness grade 3-4 on the modified MRC scale, or cancer that involves the lungs (primary or secondary). Breathlessness at rest must score above 2 and below 8 on a 0 to 10 scale.
Earlier treatment: Breathlessness must have lasted more than 3 weeks despite adequate and maximal medication for the disease.

Main reasons for not taking part

Breathlessness at rest of 8 or more on the 0 to 10 scale
Any reason that makes an fMRI scan unsafe
Cannot lie flat
Diagnosed psychiatric illness or neurological disorder such as dementia, brain tumor, stroke or epilepsy
Claustrophobia, fear of heights, light sensitivity, severe hearing or vision loss, or a reason that makes virtual reality unsafe (migraines, photosensitive epilepsy, vertigo)

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 23 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

Age ≥ 18 years and
Followed by the outpatient palliative care clinic of the Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland (HUG) and
Breathlessness at rest > 2 and < 8 on the NRS (numeric rating scale 0 to 10) and
Persistent breathlessness (persistent dyspnea for > 3 weeks despite adequate and maximal medication according to the pathology) and
In a stable clinical condition, i.e., without an episode of acute cardiac, respiratory, and/or neurological failure leading to hospitalization in the previous 4 weeks and
Diagnosis of either HF stage NYHA III-IV, or COPD with dyspnea on the modified MRC scale grade 3-4, or oncological disease with primary or secondary pulmonary involvement
Age ≥ 18 years and
No respiratory symptoms: dyspnea, cough, wheezing and
No known pulmonary, cardiac, or oncological disease and
Smoking status < 10 pack-years and
No contraindication to fMRI (Appendix 3) and
Ability to lie flat (supine position) and
No diagnosed psychiatric illness (severe depression, severe anxiety, psychosis, other) or antipsychotic treatment deemed a contraindication for fMRI based on physician judgement and
No neurological disorders according to neurological assessment, including diagnosed dementia (frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), brain pathology (tumor, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc.), or epilepsy and
No claustrophobia, acrophobia, photophobia, severe hearing loss, and/or severe visual deficit and
No contraindication to IVR (migraines, photosensitive epilepsy, vertigo)

Who cannot take part

Diagnosed psychiatric illness (severe depression, severe anxiety, psychosis, other) or antipsychotic treatment deemed a contraindication for fMRI based on physician judgement
Neurological disorders according to neurological assessment, including diagnosed dementia (frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), brain pathology (tumor, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc.), or epilepsy
Contraindication to IVR (migraines, photosensitive epilepsy, vertigo)
Breathlessness at rest ≥ 8 on the NRS (numeric rating scale 0 to 10)
Contraindication to fMRI
Inability to lie flat (supine position)
Presence of claustrophobia, acrophobia, photophobia, severe hearing loss, and/or severe visual deficit

Where in Switzerland

Geneva University HospitalsGeneva, SwitzerlandContact: Federica Bianchi, PhDTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

Dyspnea that persists despite optimal pathophysiological treatment is defined as persistent dyspnea.

Read full original descriptionShow less

Currently all brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies conducted to evaluate breathlessness have done so using healthy volunteers or have concentrated on acute breathlessness. Little is known about chronic breathlessness patterns and their modulation by different triggers. Furthermore, it is currently assumed in the palliative care literature that patients suffering from different advanced and progressive diseases such as cancer, heart failure (HF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have the same triggers, perceptions and neurological pathways and thus require the same treatments/interventions (i.e. opioids as first line symptomatic pharmacologic treatment). However, it is now known that patients belonging to different disease groups do not necessarily benefit from opioids.

Aim of the study To assess the feasibility of identifying dyspnea patterns in different life-limiting conditions and to evaluate the effect of immersive virtual reality (IVR) on dyspnea using patient-reported-outcomes (PROMs).

Study procedure:

Patients with advanced chronic diseases such as cancer, COPD or HF suffering from dyspnea will undergo a brain fMRI in combination with an IVR intervention. The fMRI data will be reviewed to identify different patterns of dyspnea and the effect of IVR on dyspnea will be assessed through PROMs. Patients will be asked about the perceived burden of the study.