For once, no one will be able to blame video games for wasting productive time. Re-Mission, the name of the game has been proved to help young people with cancer. The game is available free of charge to young people with cancer concurrent with the release of positive results from the Re-Mission Outcomes Study. The study is the first-ever randomized, controlled trial focused exclusively on adolescents and young adults with cancer. Data from the study showed statistically significant improvements in cancer-related self-efficacy, social quality of life, cancer-specific knowledge, and adherence to prescribed medication regimens in patients who played Re-Mission.

Re-Mission was developed through the collaborative efforts of young people with cancer, researchers, medical experts and game developers. The game combines biologic accuracy with an honest depiction of the challenges faced by young cancer patients. Re-Mission's main character, Roxxi, is a gutsy, fully-armed Nanobot who seeks out and destroys cancer cells throughout the human body, battling cancer and its life-threatening effects. Through 20 different levels of game play, Re-Mission illustrates what occurs inside the bodies of young cancer patients and how they can most effectively fight their disease.

"Re-Mission works. It gives teens and young adults a sense of power and control over their cancer," said Pat Christen, president of HopeLab. "Research on Re-Mission was conducted in much the same way research into a new drug is conducted, with rigorous testing based on scientific principles. Our study findings clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the game in improving health-related outcomes for these kids. It's great news."

The Re-Mission Outcomes Study, conducted by HopeLab, enrolled 375 teens and young adults with cancer at 34 medical centers in the United States, Canada and Australia. Results showed statistically significant improvements in cancer-related self-efficacy, social quality of life, and cancer-specific knowledge embedded within the game. Among study participants who were prescribed oral chemotherapy or antibiotics, those who played Re-Mission maintained high levels of adherence to their prescribed medication regimens. Participants playing Re-Mission maintained higher levels of chemotherapy in their blood and took their antibiotics more consistently than those in the control group who did not receive Re-Mission.

Re-Mission is now available free of charge to teens and young people living with cancer at re-mission.net. The game, including English, French and Spanish versions, will be available May 1 to all others for a suggested donation of US$20.

More details available on the following sites:

http://www.hopelab.org

http://www.re-mission.net