When we think of cancer treatment, we picture chemotherapy, surgeries, fatigue, and pain. But cancer affects more than just the body, it also impacts mental wellbeing. Many patients experience anxiety, distress, and emotional exhaustion during treatment. Nearly 40% of people undergoing cancer treatment report poor mental health (Shalata et al., 2024). Long hospital days, side effects, and uncertainty make the experience feel uncomfortable and isolating.
To help ease this mental burden, Hull University Teaching Hospitals in the UK launched a program called The Calm Zone. Patients undergoing chemotherapy or recovery are offered VR headsets, so that they can explore calming landscapes, like beaches and forests, and escape from the clinical setting. Patients reported feeling more relaxed and emotionally supported during these sessions (Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, 2025).
Scientific evidence backs this up. Chiu et al (2023) found that patients who used VR before surgery felt less anxious than those who received standard care. VR in cancer care can also ease pain and help patients feel less anxious, depressed and fatigued (Zeng et al., 2019).
I think this is an important step forward. Not just because it’s innovative, but because it helps patients feel seen as people, not just as medical cases.
However, there also are caveats. VR is not suitable for all patients. Pawełczyk et al. (2025) found that after using immersive VR, participants experienced more symptoms of cybersickness, especially eye strain, general discomfort, and headaches. Additionally, several patients who used VR asked for lighter headsets and more interactive content, highlighting the need for personalization and ergonomic design (Gerlach et al., 2024).
And then there’s also the question of access. High costs, limited IT infrastructure, lack of staff training, and challenges integrating VR into hospital workflows hinder its wider use in healthcare (Shiner et al., 2024).
Even with all these challenges, I think VR still looks promising for cancer care. It helps patients deal with the emotional and psychological sides of treatment. As the technology becomes easier to use and hospitals learn how to fit it in, VR could become a useful part of more complete, patient-focused care.
References
Chiu, P. L., Li, H., Yap, K. Y., Lam, K. C., Yip, P. R., & Wong, C. L. (2023). Virtual Reality–Based intervention to reduce preoperative anxiety in adults undergoing elective surgery. JAMA Network Open, 6(10), e2340588. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.40588
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. (2025, May 28). Relaxation to aid recovery. HEY NHS. https://www.hey.nhs.uk/news/2025/05/28/relaxation-to-aid-recovery/
Shalata, W., Gothelf, I., Bernstine, T., Michlin, R., Tourkey, L., Shalata, S., & Yakobson, A. (2024). Mental Health Challenges in Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Depression and Anxiety. Cancers, 16(16), 2827. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16162827
Shiner, C. T., Croker, G., McGhee, J., & Faux, S. G. (2024). Perspectives on the use of Virtual Reality within a public hospital setting: surveying knowledge, attitudes, and perceived utility among health care professionals. BMC Digital Health, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s44247-024-00076-x
Gerlach, C., Haas, L., Greinacher, A., Lantelme, J., Guenther, M., Thiesbonenkamp-Maag, J., Alt-Epping, B., & Wrzus, C. (2024). My virtual escape from patient life: a feasibility study on the experiences and benefits of individualized virtual reality for inpatients in palliative cancer care. BMC Palliative Care, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01577-2
Pawełczyk, W., Olejarz, D., Gaweł, Z., Merta, M., Nowakowska, A., Nowak, M., Rutkowska, A., Batalik, L., & Rutkowski, S. (2025). Understanding Cybersickness and Presence in Seated VR: a foundation for exploring therapeutic applications of immersive virtual environments. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(8), 2718. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14082718
Zeng, Y., Zhang, J., Cheng, A. S. K., Cheng, H., & Wefel, J. S. (2019). Meta-Analysis of the efficacy of virtual Reality–Based interventions in Cancer-Related symptom Management. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 18. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735419871108
Hi Henriette,
What a wonderful blog post! This post clearly highlights how new technologies such as VR can be used for the good. Indeed, people tend to overlook the mental aspect of cancer treatment. Usually, hospitals allow for visiting opportunities depending on the treatment schedule and/or the patient’s energy levels. Visits by family members and friends can really boost the mood of a patient. Unfortunately, they cannot stay with them the whole day and therefore patients can still experience anxiety and distress when there are no familiar faces to support them.
I really think that VR can offer a promising solution for the time in between visits. Functionalities of VR such as creating calming environments allow patients to temporarily escape the hospital setting. The only thing I’m afraid of is that VR, as you said, might be too intense for cancer patients. As you said, people in general can experience motion sickness and headaches from VR. As cancer patients are already experiencing side-effects of treatment such as fatique and nausea, VR might worsen the side-effects patients experience. This is ofcourse the last thing we want to happen.
While writing this comment, I still can’t figure out for myself whether the value of the VR outweighs the potential problems with suitability for patients. Maybe if advances in VR result in a more comfortable and less intense experience? I’m not sure yet.