Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36691014›Full record

SynthesisBMC medical informatics and decision making2023

Opportunities and challenges of virtual reality-based interventions for patients with breast cancer: a systematic review.

Alireza Banaye Yazdipour, Soheila Saeedi, Hassan Bostan, Hoorie Masoorian, Hasan Sajjadi, Marjan Ghazisaeedi

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC medical informatics and decision making, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Virtual reality for cancer symptom management: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Application of virtual reality for supportive care in cancer patients: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
    Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. The influence of virtual reality on anxiety and pain in breast cancer patients: A systematic review.Technical innovations & patient support in radiation oncology · 2026
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Virtual reality-based supportive care interventions for patients with cancer: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
    Review
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Alireza Banaye YazdipourDepartment of Health Information Management and Medical Informatics, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 3th Floor, No #17, Farredanesh Alley, Ghods St, Enghelab Ave, Tehran, Iran.
Soheila SaeediDepartment of Health Information Management and Medical Informatics, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 3th Floor, No #17, Farredanesh Alley, Ghods St, Enghelab Ave, Tehran, Iran.
Hassan BostanDepartment of Health Information Management and Medical Informatics, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 3th Floor, No #17, Farredanesh Alley, Ghods St, Enghelab Ave, Tehran, Iran.
Hoorie MasoorianDepartment of Health Information Management and Medical Informatics, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 3th Floor, No #17, Farredanesh Alley, Ghods St, Enghelab Ave, Tehran, Iran.
Hasan SajjadiDepartment of Health Information Management and Medical Informatics, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 3th Floor, No #17, Farredanesh Alley, Ghods St, Enghelab Ave, Tehran, Iran.
Marjan GhazisaeediDepartment of Health Information Management and Medical Informatics, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 3th Floor, No #17, Farredanesh Alley, Ghods St, Enghelab Ave, Tehran, Iran. ghazimar@tums.ac.ir.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBreast cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed worldwide and the second leading cause of death among women. Virtual reality (VR) has many opportunities and challenges for breast cancer patients' rehabilitation and symptom management. The purpose of this systematic review is to look into the benefits and drawbacks of VR interventions for breast cancer patients.

methodsA systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE, and the Cochrane Library, from inception until February 6, 2022. The inclusion criteria were: (1) original studies without restriction in study design; (2) a study population consisting of patients with breast cancer; (3) any type of VR-based interventions (immersive and non-immersive); and (5) studies published in English. To assess the risk of bias, the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Tool was used.

resultsEighteen articles were included in this systematic review. The result showed that VR could provide many opportunities for patients with breast cancer, including reducing anxiety, time perception, pain, fatigue, chemotherapy-related symptom distress levels, and depression severity, as well as improvement in the range of motion, strength, and function. Cybersickness symptoms, the weight of headsets and helmets, the quality of the visual image, and the cost of the equipment are some of the challenges in using this technology on these patients.

conclusionsThe systematic review showed that VR interventions have opportunities and challenges for patients with breast cancer. VR can be effective for rehabilitation and symptom management and is used in different stages of treatment to improve the condition of patients with breast cancer. However, before using it, the researcher should consider its challenges.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsMedicineVirtual RealityFemaleHumansPalliative CareQuality of LifeBreast cancerChallengesOpportunitiesSystematic reviewVirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID36691014
PMCPMC9872398

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.