What if fighting cancer was as easy as destroying leukemia cells with a chemo-blaster or demolishing brain tumors with a powerful rocket? It is that simple and fun with Re-Mission, a video game conceived and designed in part by Brad Pollock, Ph.D., professor and chair of epidemiology and biostatistics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Roxxi is a tiny nanobot warrior in the video game Re-Mission. The game helps young people who have cancer to better understand their disease and treatment.
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In Re-Mission, players direct Roxxi, a tiny but feisty nanobot warrior who’s on a mission to seek and destroy cancer and its side effects by releasing therapies as she travels through the human body.

First video game about fighting cancer
The first of its kind in the world, Re-Mission was initiated and funded six years ago by a nonprofit organization called HopeLab. The game’s goal is to help adolescents and young adults (14-30 years old) with cancer to better understand their disease and to learn to manage it better.

Based on cancer research
Dr. Pollock was brought in during the initial planning stages and served as the senior scientific adviser of the project because of his research expertise in cancer epidemiology and in developing research to improve outcomes for children with cancer.

Players guide Roxxi on her mission to destroy cancer cells and the negative side effects of cancer treatments. Photos courtesy of HopeLab.

Encourages understanding and compliance
“The challenge with teenagers is that they don’t want to take their medications or show up for their doctor’s appointments,” Dr. Pollock said. “This game is designed to encourage them to adhere to their prescribed therapies so that their survival odds are improved and so they can better manage their treatment to reduce negative side effects, and thus have a better quality of life.”

Study shows game-players more adherent
An international randomized intervention, sponsored by HopeLab, showed that among the video game users, adherence to oral medications including chemotherapy and antibiotics, and cancer-related knowledge improved significantly.

“Long-term consistent adherence to prescribed therapies is needed for improved survival,” Dr. Pollock said. “Because it’s both educational and fun, this game can play a huge part in helping make that happen for young persons with cancer.”

Game is free and available in three languages
Re-Mission is available in three languages ― English, Spanish and French – and is free to cancer patients.