Virtual Reality-Based Education for Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Oncology
• Virtual Reality Applications

Background:

• Radiotherapy is a critical cancer treatment, but patient anxiety and lack of understanding are common.
• Effective patient education is essential for managing expectations and reducing distress during cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a virtual reality (VR) application designed to simulate radiotherapy delivery for cancer patients.
• To determine if this VR experience enhances patient comprehension of their radiation therapy plan.
• To assess the impact of the VR simulation on patient anxiety levels regarding radiotherapy treatment.

Main Methods:

• Developed VR software integrating patient-specific CT data and treatment plans with a virtual linear accelerator.
• Conducted a prospective, single-arm study with 43 patients undergoing various radiotherapy plans (e.g., breast, prostate).
• Administered pre- and post-simulation questionnaires to measure changes in understanding and anxiety.

Main Results:

• 74% of patients strongly agreed the VR session improved their understanding of radiotherapy.
• 57% of initially anxious patients reported a decrease in anxiety after the VR experience.
• The majority of patients found the personalized VR simulation to be educational and anxiety-reducing.

Conclusions:

• Personalized virtual reality simulations can significantly enhance patient education about radiotherapy.
• VR technology shows promise as an effective tool for reducing patient anxiety associated with radiation therapy.
• VR offers a powerful adjunctive educational modality for cancer patients preparing for radiotherapy.