Discussion

This clinical trial tests how well a point of prostate cancer diagnosis (PPCD) virtual reality assistant (ViRA) intervention works in supporting Black men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death for African American/Black men, with prostate cancer leading in estimated new cancer cases and second in estimated new cancer deaths. Over 40,000 African American/Black men are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually, with 1 in 6 lifetime probability of developing prostate cancer compared to 1 in 8 probability in White men. The PPCD ViRA provides psycho-oncology support, social determinants of health navigation and emotional support for ethnically diverse African American/Black men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer using artificial intelligence and augmented reality. Using PPCD ViRA may close the prostate cancer care gap for African American/Black men across the cancer continuum and provide emotional, educational, and resource needs of this population when they are visiting a doctor about their prostate health or prostate cancer.

This clinical trial evaluates if in-person acupuncture or virtual acupressure therapy prevents aromatase inhibitor-associated joint pain in Non-Hispanic Black postmenopausal women with stage I-III (early-stage) hormone receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer. Aromatase inhibitors (AI) are medications that prevent the formation of the hormone estrogen. They are used in the treatment of postmenopausal women who have hormone-dependent breast cancer. AI therapy prolongs life among patients with early-stage HR+ breast cancer. Many postmenopausal women stop AI therapy early due to debilitating joint pain (arthralgias). Non-Hispanic Black women are more likely to experience side effects and stop their hormonal therapy compared to Non-Hispanic white women. Acupuncture therapy involves inserting thin needles through the skin at specific points on the body to control pain. Acupressure therapy uses the application of pressure or localized massage to specific sites on the body to control symptoms such as pain. Acupuncture and acupressure are types of complementary and alternative medicine. Undergoing in-person acupuncture or participating in virtual acupressure may prevent AI-associated arthralgias (AIAA) in Non-Hispanic Black postmenopausal women with early-stage HR+ breast cancer.