Background: Virtual reality (VR) is used to improve specific health needs by combining multiple technologies; it is increasingly being used in the medical field, showing satisfactory effects, especially in the management of chronic disease. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of VR cognitive training for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: Peer-reviewed articles were searched from the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and EBSCOhost databases, as well as CNKI, Sinomed, Vip. and Wan Fang, through 23 May 2021. We only included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) enrolling participants with MCI. Results: Seventeen RCTs were included, with a total of 744 participants. Evidence of moderate quality showed that VR cognitive training significantly enhanced MCI patients' global cognitive function, as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04-0.79; p = 0.03) and executive function, as measured by trail making test A (SMD = −0.58; 95% CI, −0.80 to −0.35; p < 0.001). The meta-analysis indicated that the effects of VR cognitive training on delayed memory, immediate memory, attention and instrumental activities of daily living were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion:The available data showed that VR cognitive training might be beneficial for improving global cognitive function and executive function in individuals with MCI, although the effects were short term.

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According to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics on the cumulative risk of incidence, 1 in 8 men and 1 in 10 women will develop cancer in a lifetime (Bray et al., 2018). Cancer is a life-threatening disease. A diagnosis may cause physical suffering, psychological distress and disruption of social support. Cancer patients suffer from many symptoms such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain and therapy-related symptoms. The symptoms may disturb treatment processes, affect clinical outcomes and lead to poor quality of life. Current treatments to relieve these symptoms include pharmacotherapy as well as non-pharmacological methods. Art therapy, one of the available non-pharmacological treatments, has become increasingly popular. The definition of art therapy is psychotherapy involving the use of visual art-making (drawing, painting, sculpting, collage, etc.) for expression and communication within a safe and supportive relationship usually on a one-to-one basis in a therapeutic setting led by art therapists usually at postgraduate level registered with and accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council (Uttley et al., 2015). Art therapy is a specific branch of treatment under the umbrella term "arts therapies"

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