JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Because of the impacts of cancer and its treatment methods, cancer-related dysfunctions (CRDs) are common, and they severely affect patients’ physical and mental health. Evidence suggests that exercise rehabilitation is an effective treatment for improving CRDs. However, the effects of patient rehabilitation are not ideal because exercise rehabilitation opportunities, as well as patient compliance, are low. Therefore, research exploring more effective exercise rehabilitation methods for cancer is necessary. Virtual reality-based exercise rehabilitation (VRER) is an intervention based on internet technology that integrates virtual reality (VR), intelligent wearable devices, and computer analysis technologies; this method fully utilizes medical rehabilitation theories to provide rehabilitation treatment for patients with CRDs. Studies have demonstrated that VRER has promising clinical effects for patients with stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and cardiovascular disease. However, few studies have focused on VRER for CRDs, and the results of these studies are inconsistent. Therefore, in this review, we described different CRDs, including postoperative syndromes in breast cancer, cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), cancer-related fatigue (CRF), chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), and cancer-related sleep disorder (CRSD). We reviewed CRDs in patients with breast cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, and other cancers. Additionally, we analyzed the underlying mechanisms of these CRDs. Due to the immersion and interaction involved in VRER, this method shows a high potential to improve CRDs and high patient compliance. Finally, we discussed the barriers to VRER application. Thus, this review provides a reference for clinical applications of this treatment strategy.