Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41503051›Full record

ReviewFuture healthcare journal2026

Extended reality in supporting cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review on the benefits and challenges across the cancer care continuum.

Safa Elkefi, Achraf Tounsi, Siwar Boudiche, Alicia K Matthews, Rose Hernandez, Noureddine Lourimi

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Future healthcare journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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.

Safa ElkefiSchool of Systems Sciences and Industrial Engineering, Watson College of Engineering, Binghamton University, Vestal, NY, USA.
Achraf TounsiRoadie, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Siwar BoudicheIndustrial Engineering Department, National Engineering School of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Alicia K MatthewsSchool of Systems Sciences and Industrial Engineering, Watson College of Engineering, Binghamton University, Vestal, NY, USA.
Rose HernandezSchool of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, USA.
Noureddine LourimiNational Engineering School of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: Our study explores the role of extended reality (XR) in supporting cancer patients. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across six electronic databases. We adhered to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) reviews. Results: We included 62 studies. XR technologies were mainly applied during the treatment phase (64.5% of studies), with additional applications in palliative care and during survivorship (33.9%). One study addressed the diagnosis phase, and none supported prevention or early detection. XR showed effective results supporting patients in seven areas: anxiety and stress reduction (n = 40), pain management (n = 19) and symptom tracking (n = 14). Challenges identified related to physical discomfort, technical issues, and user compliance. Conclusions: XR interventions demonstrate significant potential in improving patient outcomes, particularly in anxiety reduction and symptom management. However, their application remains unevenly distributed across the cancer care continuum.

Indexed as

Augmented realityCancerDiagnosisImmersive technologyScreeningSurvivalTreatmentVirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID41503051
PMCPMC12769808

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.