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Meta-Analysis
. 2024 Dec 13:12:e18701.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.18701. eCollection 2024.

Virtual reality therapy in managing cancer pain in middle-aged and elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Yang Chen #  1 , Hui Meng #  2 , Qian Chen  3 , Wendong Wu  4 , HaiBin Liu  5 , Shi Lv  6 , Liang Huai  5
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Virtual reality therapy in managing cancer pain in middle-aged and elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Yang Chen et al. PeerJ. .

Abstract

Background: Virtual reality technology has been proposed to rehabilitate cancer patients. This study aimed to summarize the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR)--based therapies for pain management in middle-aged and elderly cancer patients.

Methods: This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023400432). We searched the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase, conducted from construction until November 1, 2024. The study examined the effects of VR treatment on pain levels in middle-aged and elderly cancer patients using RCTs as primary or secondary outcome measures. Articles were evaluated for eligibility according to predetermined criteria, and each of the three researchers independently collected the data. The researchers used the heterogeneous selection effects model to calculate the mean effect sizes.

Results: This meta-analysis included seven RCTs involving 476 patients. The meta-analysis confirmed the significant effect of VR therapy on the management of pain, anxiety, and depression in the middle-aged and elderly cancer population.

Conclusions: Our research shows that VR could be a significant device for cancer pain management in the middle-aged and elderly and that VR scene therapy may be more effective. Nevertheless, it is essential to use caution when interpreting the findings since the number of research included is small.

Keywords: Cancer pain; Cancer rehabilitation; Elderly patients; Meta-analysis; Virtual reality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flow chart for research screening.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Summary graph of risk of bias of research (Gao et al., 2022; Turrado et al., 2021; Feyzioğlu et al., 2020; Basha et al., 2022; Mohammad & Ahmad, 2018; Villumsen et al., 2019; Zhang et al., 2022).
Figure 3
Figure 3. The risk assessment of biased dependence of research.
Figure 4
Figure 4. (A) Forest plot demonstrates VR’s effect on the emotional state of middle-aged and elderly cancer patients experiencing pain. (B) Subgroup analysis of the effect of two VR therapies (Basha et al., 2022; Feyzioğlu et al., 2020; Mohammad & Ahmad, 2018; Villumsen et al., 2019).
Figure 5
Figure 5. A forest plot illustrating the impact of VR on anxiety levels among middle-aged and elderly individuals diagnosed with cancer (Gao et al., 2022; Turrado et al., 2021; Mohammad & Ahmad, 2018; Zhang et al., 2022).
Figure 6
Figure 6. Forest plot of the effect of VR on depressed mood in middle-aged and elderly cancer patients (Turrado et al., 2021; Zhang et al., 2022).
Figure 7
Figure 7. Forest plot of the effect of VR on quality of life (Villumsen et al., 2019; Zhang et al., 2022).
Figure 8
Figure 8. (A) Forest plot of the effect of VR on pain across the age group. (B) Subgroup analysis was conducted to assess the impact of various virtual reality interventions on pain and attitude in cancer patients of different age groups. (C) Subgroup analysis to examine the effects of VR on pain across patients across various age groups (Basha et al., 2022; Feyzioğlu et al., 2020; Gerçeker et al., 2021; Gershon et al., 2004; Mohammad & Ahmad, 2018; Tennant et al., 2020; Villumsen et al., 2019; Wolitzky et al., 2005; Wong et al., 2021).
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