RELAX: An immersion virtual reality relaxation intervention for quality of life improvement in cancer patients.

Abstract

152 Background: Interventions that reduce symptom distress and enhance positive feelings are crucial for improving quality of life and, conceivably, overall survival of cancer patients. One remedy is the immersive virtual reality relaxation (VR-R) environment/s to inspire an emotion-focused coping mechanism in cancer patients. Herein, we report on our experience with the use of this VR-R intervention in normal volunteers and cancer patient volunteers. Methods: Fifty cancer patient volunteers underwent VR-R training and used the VR-R environment/s for 5 - 30 minutes. VR-R is a software-based simulation, which allows an individual to be placed inside an experience, hearing and interacting with stimuli that correspond with visual images of an artificial world. The VR equipment consists of the Oculus Rift Head Mounted Display (HMD) that enables play of an interactive scenario or game that patients can experience from a first-person perspective (i.e., upon entering the interactive scenario, participants are transported into a virtual, 3D world). After the immersion VR-R intervention, patients reported on their experience during the VR-R intervention by answering a QoL questionnaire created by IFGCURE/Cancer Center of Southern California/Sarcoma Oncology Center. Results: Eight of 50 (16%) patients experienced mild motion sickness as the only adverse event associated with its use. Table 1 shows the emotions that patients reportedly experienced during VR-R intervention. Conclusions: Taken together, the data support the premise that VR-R intervention is safe and may be efficacious in improving symptom distress and quality of life of cancer patients. A phase 1/2 study is planned to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the VR-R intervention in improving quality of life in a larger number of cancer patients. [Table: see text]