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Virtual reality and music therapy as distraction interventions to alleviate anxiety and improve mood states in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy |
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| Authors: | Andrea Chirico Patrizia Maiorano Paola Indovina Carla Milanese Giovan Giacomo Giordano Fabio Alivernini Giovanni Iodice Luigi Gallo Giuseppe De Pietro Fabio Lucidi Gerardo Botti Michelino De Laurentiis Antonio Giordano |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;2. Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy;3. Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Institute for High Performance Computing and Networking, National Research Council of Italy (ICAR-CNR), Naples, Italy;4. Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy;5. Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;6. National Institute for the Evaluation of the Education System (INVALSI), Rome, Italy;7. Breast Oncology Division, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy;8. Institute for High Performance Computing and Networking, National Research Council of Italy (ICAR-CNR), Naples, Italy;9. Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy;10. Pathology Division, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy |
| Abstract: | Psychological distress is a common consequence of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and could further exacerbate therapy side effects. Interventions increasing treatment tolerance are crucial to improve both patients' quality of life and adherence to therapies. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as an effective distraction tool for different medical procedures. Here, we assessed the efficacy of immersive and interactive VR in alleviating chemotherapy-related psychological distress in a cohort of Italian breast cancer patients, also comparing its effects with those of music therapy (MT). Thirty patients were included in the VR group, 30 in the MT group, and 34 in the control group, consisting of patients receiving standard care during chemotherapy. Our data suggest that both VR and MT are useful interventions for alleviating anxiety and for improving mood states in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy. Moreover, VR seems more effective than MT in relieving anxiety, depression, and fatigue. |
| Keywords: | anxiety breast cancer chemotherapy cybersickness mood states music therapy virtual reality |