Virtual Reality to Reduce Pain, Fatigue, and Emotional Distress in People With Cancer

Abstract

Background Cancer and its treatments cause symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and emotional distress, which affect the quality of life of patients at different stages of cancer. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising alternative for addressing these symptoms by immersing patients in a virtual environment that isolates them from reality. Objective To describe the existing evidence on the use of VR to improve pain, fatigue, and emotional distress in people with cancer at different stages of the cancer trajectory. Methods A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Search was conducted in PubMed and CINAHL until October 2023. Results Twenty-three primary studies related to the study topic were identified, and the following information was collected: type of VR (immersive vs nonimmersive) used in oncology services, purpose (distraction, training, or relaxation), devices used (head-mounted display, headset, or virtual controller), and the environment simulated (natural environment, skill games, or educational environment). The effects of VR on pain, fatigue, and emotional distress are described, highlighting its ability to mitigate these symptoms in the short term. Conclusions Virtual reality has been shown to be an effective technique for reducing pain, fatigue, and emotional distress in people with cancer in the short term. Implications for practice Nurses can use VR as a complementary tool to promote virtual environments that improve the care for and therefore the quality of life of people with cancer.