Mitello, L.; Marti, F.; Mauro, L.; Siano, L.; Pucci, A.; Tarantino, C.; Rocco, G.; Stievano, A.; Iacorossi, L.; Anastasi, G.; Ferrara, R.; Marucci, A.R.; Varrassi, G.; Giannarelli, D.; Latina, R. The Usefulness of Virtual Reality in Symptom Management during Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study. J. Clin. Med.2024, 13, 4374.
Mitello, L.; Marti, F.; Mauro, L.; Siano, L.; Pucci, A.; Tarantino, C.; Rocco, G.; Stievano, A.; Iacorossi, L.; Anastasi, G.; Ferrara, R.; Marucci, A.R.; Varrassi, G.; Giannarelli, D.; Latina, R. The Usefulness of Virtual Reality in Symptom Management during Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study. J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13, 4374.
Mitello, L.; Marti, F.; Mauro, L.; Siano, L.; Pucci, A.; Tarantino, C.; Rocco, G.; Stievano, A.; Iacorossi, L.; Anastasi, G.; Ferrara, R.; Marucci, A.R.; Varrassi, G.; Giannarelli, D.; Latina, R. The Usefulness of Virtual Reality in Symptom Management during Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study. J. Clin. Med.2024, 13, 4374.
Mitello, L.; Marti, F.; Mauro, L.; Siano, L.; Pucci, A.; Tarantino, C.; Rocco, G.; Stievano, A.; Iacorossi, L.; Anastasi, G.; Ferrara, R.; Marucci, A.R.; Varrassi, G.; Giannarelli, D.; Latina, R. The Usefulness of Virtual Reality in Symptom Management during Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study. J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13, 4374.
Abstract
ABSTRACT: Background: Virtual Reality (VR) emerges as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for managing symptoms and providing distraction during chemotherapy. This study aims to assess VR's effectiveness on cancer-related symptoms, vital signs, and patients' perception of the chemotherapy in lung cancer patients. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 100 patients. Participants were allocated into an intervention group (n = 55), which experienced immersive VR, and a comparison group (n = 45), which received usual care. Data were collected through questionnaires and checklists, including feedback on the VR experience, pain, vital signs, and common cancer symptoms, assessed through the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. Results: VR had a significant impact on reducing the perception of the chemotherapy length. Patients reported high levels of satisfaction and tolerability. No adverse events were observed. VR did not have significant influence on pain intensity and vital signs. The only exceptions were oxygen saturation, where a significant difference (p = 0.02) was reported, and perception of chemotherapy duration. Conclusions: As a non-pharmacological intervention, VR proves beneficial in minimizing the perceived length of chemotherapy session for lung cancer patients, enhancing their overall treatment experience. The intervention showed to be a safe, feasible, and well-accepted distraction technique. Future research should explore VR's potential effects on a wider range of symptoms and evaluate its impact on long-term outcomes.
Medicine and Pharmacology, Oncology and Oncogenics
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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