TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of virtual reality on physical, cognitive, and psychological outcomes in cancer rehabilitation
T2 - a systematic review and meta-analysis
AU - Hao, Jie
AU - Li, Yanfei
AU - Swanson, Rebecca
AU - Chen, Zhen
AU - Siu, Ka Chun
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2023/2
Y1 - 2023/2
N2 - Purpose: To systematically examine and summarize the current evidence regarding the effects of virtual reality (VR) on physical, cognitive, and psychological outcomes in cancer rehabilitation. Methods: Six bioscience and engineering databases were searched. Two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts of 2397 records and retrieved 25 full-text articles. Inclusion criteria included patients with a current or previous diagnosis of cancer; VR was used as an intervention for physical, cognitive, or psychological impairments and functional limitations; and clinical trials with at least two arms and with both pre- and post-intervention assessments. Reviewers assessed methodological quality using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Results: Seventeen studies including 799 patients with cancer were identified. Within-group pooled analysis indicated that patients demonstrated significant improvement in pain (P < 0.001), fatigue (P < 0.001), anxiety (P < 0.001), upper extremity function (P < 0.001), and quality of life (P = 0.008) after VR intervention. Between-group pooled analysis indicated significant improvements with VR in pain (P = 0.004), anxiety (P < 0.001), and upper extremity function (P < 0.001) compared with the control. Three studies reported the positive effects of VR on cognition. Conclusions: VR demonstrates promising effects in physical, cognitive, and psychological aspects of patients with cancer. VR can be incorporated into a comprehensive cancer rehabilitation program to alleviate impairments and functional limitations.
AB - Purpose: To systematically examine and summarize the current evidence regarding the effects of virtual reality (VR) on physical, cognitive, and psychological outcomes in cancer rehabilitation. Methods: Six bioscience and engineering databases were searched. Two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts of 2397 records and retrieved 25 full-text articles. Inclusion criteria included patients with a current or previous diagnosis of cancer; VR was used as an intervention for physical, cognitive, or psychological impairments and functional limitations; and clinical trials with at least two arms and with both pre- and post-intervention assessments. Reviewers assessed methodological quality using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Results: Seventeen studies including 799 patients with cancer were identified. Within-group pooled analysis indicated that patients demonstrated significant improvement in pain (P < 0.001), fatigue (P < 0.001), anxiety (P < 0.001), upper extremity function (P < 0.001), and quality of life (P = 0.008) after VR intervention. Between-group pooled analysis indicated significant improvements with VR in pain (P = 0.004), anxiety (P < 0.001), and upper extremity function (P < 0.001) compared with the control. Three studies reported the positive effects of VR on cognition. Conclusions: VR demonstrates promising effects in physical, cognitive, and psychological aspects of patients with cancer. VR can be incorporated into a comprehensive cancer rehabilitation program to alleviate impairments and functional limitations.
KW - Function
KW - Impairment
KW - Oncology
KW - Physical therapy
KW - Simulation
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U2 - 10.1007/s00520-022-07568-4
DO - 10.1007/s00520-022-07568-4
M3 - Review article
C2 - 36633695
AN - SCOPUS:85146365084
SN - 0941-4355
VL - 31
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
IS - 2
M1 - 112
ER -