An observational study in Pain and Peripheral Neuropathy, sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-11.
Sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Observational
The goal of this study is to learn if using a non-invasive therapy called "neurofeedback training" can help teach patients ways to modify their own brain waves to decrease the perception of pain and improve quality of life.
Baseline:
On Day 1, the following baseline tests and procedures will be performed:
Study Groups:
If you choose to take part in this study, after completing the baseline tests and procedures, you will be randomly assigned (as in the flip of a coin) to 1 of 2 study groups.
Group 1 will take part in a minimum of 2 neurofeedback training sessions each week for up to 10 weeks, for a total of up to 20 training sessions. The neurofeedback training sessions may take place on any 2 days of the week and may be up to 5 times a week, if you are interested in training more quickly.
Group 2 will be placed on a wait-list, will continue to receive standard care, will not take part in the neurofeedback training, but will take part in the follow-up visits, described below. Group 2 will not take part in the neurofeedback training during Group 1's neurofeedback training period.
Neurofeedback Training (Group 1 only):
Neurofeedback training is a type of therapy that uses an EEG and a computer software program to measure brain wave activity. The neurofeedback training will be given in a video-game format and is designed to teach you ways to slowly re-train your brain wave activity by using "rewards" that you will hear and/or see when your brain waves change in the way the researchers are looking for.
With continuing feedback, coaching, and practice, researchers hope you will be able to learn how to produce the brain wave patterns that may help to reduce the perception of pain and improve quality of life.
For the EEG during each neurofeedback training session, researchers will place 1 or 2 electrodes on your scalp and 1 or 2 electrodes on each earlobe. The electrodes will measure and record your brain wave activity, similar to the way a doctor listens to your heart beat from the surface of your skin.
During each training session, you will sit quietly and relax while watching a computer screen. A neurotherapist will be present during each neurofeedback session to provide one-on-one assistance and guidance. Each neurofeedback training session will take up 1 hour to complete (about 15 minutes to get set up and about 45 minutes to complete the training session).
At each neurofeedback training session, the following tests and procedures will be performed:
At the 10th training session only, you will also complete 3 questionnaires about your mood and pain. The questionnaires should take about 10 minutes to complete.
Follow-Up Visits (Both Groups):
If you are in Group 1:
If you are in Group 2:
Length of Participation:
If you are in Group 1, after you complete the questionnaires at the follow-up visit 4 months after your last neurofeedback training session, your active participation on this study will be over.
If you are in Group 2, you will remain on study for up to 6 ½ months. If you choose to take part in the optional procedure, you will remain on study for up to 10 additional weeks to complete neurofeedback training.
This is an investigational study. The equipment used for neurofeedback training is FDA approved and commercially available equipment. Using neurofeedback equipment to teach patients ways to modify their own brain waves to decrease the perception of pain and improve quality of life is investigational.
Up to 80 patients will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at M. D. Anderson.
2,219 studies on the registry are indexed under Pain; 917 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 80 is below the median of 107 across 270 observational studies indexed under Pain.
Browse Pain studies →M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is the lead sponsor of 2,999 studies on the registry; 581 are open to participants now.
Of its 599 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 402 (67%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Patients receiving chemotherapy at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas
Exclusion Criteria:
Group 1 will take part in a minimum of 2 neurofeedback training sessions each week for up to 10 weeks, for a total of up to 20 training sessions. After Group 1 completes neurofeedback training, both Groups to complete 10 questionnaires that were completed at baseline.
Behavioral: EEG biofeedback (BF) Group · Behavioral: Follow UP Questionnaires
Group 2 will be placed on a wait-list, will continue to receive standard care, will not take part in the neurofeedback training, but will take part in the follow-up visits. After Group 1 completes neurofeedback training, both Groups to complete 10 questionnaires that were completed at baseline.
Behavioral: Wait-List Control (WLC) Group · Behavioral: Follow UP Questionnaires
Group 1 will take part in a minimum of 2 neurofeedback training sessions each week for up to 10 weeks, for a total of up to 20 training sessions.
Group 2 will be placed on a wait-list, will continue to receive standard care, will not take part in the neurofeedback training, but will take part in the follow-up visits.
After Group 1 completes neurofeedback training, both Groups to complete 10 questionnaires that were completed at baseline.
Effects of Individualized Electroencephalogram (EEG) Biofeedback Treatment Regimen on Perceptions of Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain
After Group 1 has completed neurofeedback training, both Groups will fill out the same 10 questionnaires that were completed at baseline. An EEG will be performed on both Groups about 1 week after Group 1 completes last neurofeedback training, and again 4 months later.
Time frame: 10 weeks
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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M.D. Anderson Cancer Center