Clinical trial · Interventional
Use of VIrtual REAlity to Reduce Postoperative Anxiety and Pain After Surgery for Colorectal Cancer
Virtual Reality Immersion With 360° Virtual Reality Headset to Reduce Postoperative Anxiety and Pain After Surgery for Colorectal Cancer: a Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial - VIREA Trial
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
In patients operated for colorectal cancer, pain, anxiety and depression are important factors in postoperative rehabilitation. The use of new technologies, as virtual reality immersion, could further improve their postoperative management. To date, no study has evaluated the potential benefits of using virtual reality before and after colorectal cancer surgery. The main objective is to determine if virtual reality can reduce postoperative anxiety in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. To answer this question, the investigators plan to execute a randomized controlled, single-center, open-label, superiority interventional trial. Patients will be randomized into 2 parallel arms: 1 interventional "virtual immersion" arm and 1 "control" arm. Patients with colorectal cancer, regardless of oncological stage, or a colorectal lesion deemed endoscopically unresectable, with an indication for elective surgical management by laparotomy or laparoscopy will be included. For patients in the interventional arm, virtual reality headset is put on the day before the operation and in the morning just before going down to the operating theatre. Colorectal cancer surgery then proceeds as usual. In the postoperative period, virtual reality sessions are offered every day and on request without any limit in number. Virtual reality immersion offers a visual and auditory experience during a soothing journey through visual worlds filmed in natural environments. This is a purely contemplative mode, lasting maximum 30 minutes. For the control arm, patients are treated according to the usual practices of the department and do not have access to virtual reality. The main purpose is to show a greater decrease in anxiety in the interventional group by measuring the absolute difference between the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores before surgery and at discharge.
Conditions
Conditions (3)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colon Tumor, Malignant | Malignant Colon Neoplasm | ALIAS | 0.90 |
| Pain, Postoperative | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Rectum Tumor | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (3)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post-operative use of virtual reality headset | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Pre-operative use of virtual reality headset | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Standard surgery | Procedure | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Immersive reality group
- description
- patients receive care according to the usual practices of the department as well as virtual reality. Virtual reality immersion offers a visual and auditory experience during a soothing journey through visual worlds filmed in natural environments. Virtual reality headset is put on the day before the operation and in the morning just before going to the operating theatre (only on the morning of the operation for patients hospitalized the same day). The colorectal cancer surgery then proceeds as usual. In the postoperative period, virtual reality sessions are offered every day and on request without any limit in number (day and night).
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: Pre-operative use of virtual reality headset
- Procedure: Standard surgery
- Behavioral: Post-operative use of virtual reality headset
- type
- ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
- label
- Standard care group
- description
- patients are treated according to usual practices of the department and do not have access to virtual reality.
- interventionNames
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with colorectal cancer (colon or rectum), regardless of oncological stage and neo-adjuvant treatments received, or a colorectal lesion judged as endoscopically unresectable, with indication for surgical management either by laparotomy or laparoscopy * Elective surgery * Patient ≥ 18 years old * Patient affiliated to a social security system or entitled to it * Patient who has received full information on the research organization and has given written consent Exclusion Criteria: * Complicated tumour (perforation, occlusion) requiring emergency surgery * Non-French speaking patient * Patient subject to a legal protection measure (guardianship, curatorship, safeguard of justice) * Pregnant or breastfeeding woman * Patient benefiting from the AME * Epilepsy * Severe visual or hearing impairment that does not allow the use of headphones * Autism spectrum disorder * Claustrophobia * Confusion * Medical history of schizophrenia, schizotypal disorders and delusional disorders, and/or patients requiring treatment with : Neuroleptics (Abilify = Aripiprazole and Abilify Now, Clopixol = Zuclopenthixol, Haldol = Haloperidol and Haldol Decanoas, Largactil = Chlorpromazine, Leponex = Clozapine, Loxapac = Loxapine, Nozinan = Levomepromazine, Risperdal = Risperidone and Xeplion and Trevicta, Solian = Amisulpride, Tercian = Cyamemazine, Tiapridal = Tiapride, Xeroquel = Quetiapine, Zyprexa = Olanzapine and Zypadhera); Thymoregulators (Depakote / Depamide = Valproate de Sodium, Lamictal = Lamotrigine, Tegretol = Carbamazepine, Teralithe = Lithium)
References
Publications (4)
- BACKGROUNDMols F, Schoormans D, de Hingh I, Oerlemans S, Husson O. Symptoms of anxiety and depression among colorectal cancer survivors from the population-based, longitudinal PROFILES Registry: Prevalence, predictors, and impact on quality of life. Cancer. 2018 Jun 15;124(12):2621-2628. doi: 10.1002/cncr.31369. Epub 2018 Apr 6. PMID 29624635
- BACKGROUNDEijlers R, Utens EMWJ, Staals LM, de Nijs PFA, Berghmans JM, Wijnen RMH, Hillegers MHJ, Dierckx B, Legerstee JS. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Virtual Reality in Pediatrics: Effects on Pain and Anxiety. Anesth Analg. 2019 Nov;129(5):1344-1353. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000004165. PMID 31136330
- BACKGROUNDBradt J, Dileo C, Myers-Coffman K, Biondo J. Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in people with cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Oct 12;10(10):CD006911. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006911.pub4. PMID 34637527
- BACKGROUNDParker S, Zipursky J, Ma H, Baumblatt GL, Siegel CA. A Web-based Multimedia Program Before Colonoscopy Increased Knowledge and Decreased Anxiety, Sedation Requirement, and Procedure Time. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2018 Jul;52(6):519-523. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000000958. PMID 29095417