Evidence and publications on oncology and frailty
Distinguishing comfort from disease outcomes
Explore the pathwayDistinguishing comfort from disease outcomes
Research in this area mainly assesses anxiety, emotional state, symptom burden and acceptability of the experience. These outcomes concern the experience of care and do not demonstrate an effect on the course of cancer.
Devices, content and populations differ between studies. The literature provides a reference for the use of VR, while assessment of REALICA requires attention to the system and setting actually used.
During chemotherapy
Chirico and colleagues compared VR, music therapy and standard care in 94 patients with breast cancer. They observed favourable results for anxiety and mood in the intervention groups. The finding concerns a specific population and does not demonstrate the efficacy of REALICA in every infusion treatment. [9]
In patients with advanced disease
Niki and colleagues studied a virtual travel experience in 20 patients with terminal cancer, observing immediate improvements in several symptoms. The study was prospective, multicentre and had no control group: it cannot establish with certainty that the change was attributable to VR or determine its duration. [10]
The overall quality of the evidence
A systematic review with meta-analysis found favourable signals and feasibility in care settings for people with advanced disease, but rated the quality of the evidence as very low. Small samples, absence of comparators and methodological limitations require caution in interpretation. [13]
How to use these results
The clinical approach may be assessed as a complementary comfort intervention, with individual choice and monitoring of tolerability. Enjoyment, immediate improvement in a symptom and persistent benefit should be distinguished. Promises of lasting reductions in pain, opioid use or length of hospital stay are not justified without specific data.
The bibliography brings together the cited studies and links to the original sources, enabling further examination of the conditions in which the results were observed and assessment of their relevance to your service.
Reference
publications.
Open the studies and consult the full references.
Chirico and colleagues
Chirico A, Maiorano P, Indovina P, et al. Virtual reality and music therapy as distraction interventions to alleviate anxiety and improve mood states in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy. J Cell Physiol. 2020;235(6):5353–5362.
Source type: comparative study in patients with breast cancer during chemotherapy. Not a study of REALICA.
Read the original sourceNiki and colleagues
Niki K, Okamoto Y, Maeda I, et al. A Novel Palliative Care Approach Using Virtual Reality for Improving Various Symptoms of Terminal Cancer Patients… J Palliat Med. 2019;22(6):702–707.
Source type: prospective, multicentre, single-arm study without a control group. Not a study of REALICA.
Read the original sourceMo and colleagues
Mo J, Vickerstaff V, Minton O, et al. How effective is virtual reality technology in palliative care? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Palliat Med. 2022;36(7):1047–1058.
Source type: systematic review with meta-analysis; quality of evidence rated very low. Not a study of REALICA.
Read the original sourceRead the publications
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