Role of Virtual Reality in Improving Home Cancer Care: A Systematic Literature Review

Virtual reality (VR) can play an important role in supporting remote care for cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to explore the possible applications of VR in-home cancer care to support patients and healthcare practitioners. We conducted a systematic literature search following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched for peer-reviewed publications in PubMed, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore for research articles published in the last two decades. After the final list of relevant articles was identified, we adopted an inductive approach to categorize and report our findings. We identified 15 relevant research articles and categorized them into three themes: medical treatment, emotional support, and education and training. Six articles leveraged VR to support medical treatment such as outpatient physical therapy and rehabilitation, and pain management. Five used VR to provide emotional support to patients by uplifting their feelings or providing psychological guidance. Lastly, four leveraged VR for education and training purposes. Overall, all studies reported positive outcomes of VR for home cancer care. Our review advocates for VR integration in in-home cancer care. The findings of this review acknowledge the potential of VR in augmenting medical treatment, providing emotional support to patients, and facilitating the education and training of patients and clinicians. VR in-home cancer care can provide patients with a better quality of care. However, just like any other technological integration, VR can also introduce different challenges, including usability, affordability, and acceptance. Therefore, more studies evaluating VR’s usability and acceptance should be conducted. Additionally, stakeholders such as regulatory bodies, patients, and payors should be involved in ensuring VR’s affordability and developing protocols for its safe use.