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

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.