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NCT Number: NCT06769165

EMDR Treatment of Conditioned Nausea and Vomiting in Cancer Survivors

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

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Key information

Conditions

Cancer Survivors Nausea Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms, Digestive Vomiting

Age range

16 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University Medical Center Groningen

Groningen, Provincie Groningen, 9713 GZ, Netherlands

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Jacco J de Haan, MD, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+31 50 361 61 61

Jacco J de Haan, MD, PhD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Previously pathologically confirmed diagnosis of cancer
  • Previously treated with systemic cancer therapy
  • Persistent complaints (more than 2 months) of conditioned nausea and/or vomiting
  • Able to understand spoken and written Dutch
  • 18 years or older

Exclusion criteria

  • Ongoing psychiatric treatment
  • EMDR therapy contraindications (dissociative disorders, personality disorders or severe somatic disorders (e.g. cardiac arrhythmias))
  • Complex type 2 trauma
  • Known with recent conditions / non-anti-cancer medication which can elicit nausea (e.g. pregnancy or alcohol abuses)

Treatment and study plan

EMDR therapy

Other

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.

Primary outcomes

  1. Degree of conditioned nausea and vomiting

    Time frame: Before intake EMDR therapy session and three weeks after last EMDR therapy session

    Degree of conditioned nausea and vomiting after exposure to conditioned stimuli using the nausea profile questionnaire measured using the nausea profile questionnaire (9-point Likert scale, higher scores = worse outcome)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Impact on QoL of conditioned nausea and vomiting

    Time frame: Before EMDR therapy

    Impact on QoL of conditioned nausea and vomiting using Functional Living Index- Emesis (FLIE) questionnaire (7-point Likert scale, higher scores = better/worse outcome, depending on the question)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Jacco J de Haan, MD, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+31503616161

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Medical Center Groningen

Other

Registry information

Official study title

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

Acronym: EMESIS

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jan 10, 2025
Registry last updated
Dec 11, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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