Impact of Virtual Reality on the Quality of Life of Oncology Patients

Impact of Virtual Reality on the Quality of Life of Oncology Patients

Anxiety, nausea and vomiting are common side effects in paediatric patients receiving chemotherapy. chemotherapy. New evidence supports the efficacy of immersive virtual reality in improving symptoms of anxiety and distress, including nausea and vomiting, in this vulnerable group. This research will evaluate the efficacy of virtual reality in managing anxiety, nausea and vomiting in cancer patients receiving their first line of chemotherapy and will also measure the quality of life of these patients and evaluate patient and nursing staff satisfaction

For cancer patients, virtual reality proved more effective than other forms of distraction in relieving anxiety, depression and fatigue during chemotherapy. Although pain and anxiety in cancer patients are managed proactively, this study was designed to measure the quality of life of these patients, assess patient and carer satisfaction, evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality in reducing anxiety during the first three sessions of chemotherapy, and assess the impact of virtual reality on preventive and acute chemotherapy-induced fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

This is a clinical study with a therapeutic aim using a non-medicinal, interventional, prospective, multi-centre, controlled and randomised technique, with two parallel groups. It is clinical research involving the human person category 2, involving only minimal risks and constraints. The two arms are Arm A: study questionnaires with virtual reality (VR) Arm B: study questionnaires without virtual reality, standard care (SC)

A visit will be made during the 3 cycles of chemotherapy during which arm A will be immersed in Virtual Reality with the Healthy Mind VR programme.

programme, and patients in arm B will receive standard care without hypnotic support.

There will also be a pre-inclusion visit 7 days before the first cycle. and visits at 3, 6 and 9 months after the 3 cycles of chemotherapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Chemotherapy-naive patient
• Patient with first-line indication for intravenous cyclic chemotherapy
• Affiliated to a social security system
• Having received full information on the organization of the research and having given free, informed and written consent signed by the participant and the investigator
• Patient understands French or English
• Expected duration of chemotherapy session for the first 3 cycles greater than 30 minutes

exclusion criteria :

• Patient with communication disorders preventing informed consent
• Patient under legal protection (guardianship, curatorship, safeguard of justice)
• Patients suffering from epilepsy
• Severe visual or hearing impairment preventing use of headphones
• Psychiatric pathologies such as delusional disorders, hallucinations or schizophrenia.
• Patients with infections or facial wounds
• Patients with severe claustrophobia
• Patients with pacemakers
• Patients with known cognitive or learning problems,
• Patients with brain tumors or metastases,
• Patients suffering from motion sickness
• Expected duration of chemotherapy session for the first 3 cycles of 30 minutes or less.