Serenity: A Low-Cost and Patient-Guided Mobile Virtual Reality Intervention for Cancer Coping

Virtual Reality for Pain Management in Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

“…A few studies assessed the VR impact on cancer related to ovaries [40], melanoma [38], abdominal [39], throat [39], and metastatic [24] types of cancer (2% each). Finally, two of the reviewed studies, did not report the specific type of cancer type (5%) [34], [42]. Further to the type of cancer, almost half of the studies examined the effectiveness of VR in accordance to pain (65%).…”

“…Finally, 12% of papers did not report the type of pain [20], [23], [32]. Some of the reviewed studies were not related directly to pain (35%), meaning that they, examined closely side effects such as fatigue, anxiety, depression, emotional distress, neurocognitive problems, prospective memory issues, and other issues that cancer patients are usually dealing with because of the procedural pain caused by the medical processes, [22], [28], [30], [33], [34], [35], [38], [40], [42].…”

“…People who are suffering from cancer undergo through painful medical processes including medical examinations, surgeries, biopsies, chemotherapies, and others. VR has been used to treat the procedural pain cancer patients are dealing with, reporting positive results [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30], [31], [32], [33], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41], [42]. This study presents a review of research, for the last 10 years (2010- 19) and examines the use of VR technology for cancer patients who undergo painful medical processes.…”

Medical Learning and Training using VR

“…Discussions have been put forth about the validation activities, which stresses on the effectiveness of the VSE for teaching medical residents and trainees. A prototype called "Serenity" has been presented in [9] which is a mobile smartphone-based VR, cancer coping intervention which incorporates the use of distraction therapy that includes mindfulness training, restorative environments as well as VR interventions to help lessen the severity of the symptoms of cancer coping. It aims to promote patient empowerment which helps to prevent the increased risk of depression, drastically reducing quality of life and potential treatment non-adherence and prolonged hospital stays.…”

“…It aims to promote patient empowerment which helps to prevent the increased risk of depression, drastically reducing quality of life and potential treatment non-adherence and prolonged hospital stays. The prime objective in [9] is to develop ways to address the need to improve cancer coping which is crucial as it can result in improvement of the quality of life for both-the patient as well as their families. Approach used here is through using an emerging mass-market, low-cost virtual reality technology.…”