Anova is delighted to have supported the design and delivery of a pilot study aimed to examine whether the AI–VR Bubble app significantly reduced the intensity and/or frequency of hot flashes and improved psychological well-being and sleep in women with breast and/or ovarian cancer.

Overall, the results provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of VR as a potent therapeutic tool among breast and ovarian cancer patients. The Bubble app resulted in reduced intensity and frequency of hot flashes, psychological distress (anxiety, perceives stress and mood symptoms), and insomnia, as well as in improved physical and psychological quality of life. The reduction in hot flashes was found in two main areas, disturbance to one’s life and frequency, indicating VR’s unique potential in alleviating this disturbing symptom. These results are in line with other studies showing the effectiveness of VR interventions in improving both psychological and physical symptoms in various populations including cancer patients. Moreover, after they used Bubble, the women showed more positive perceptions of their illness, an issue known to be critical when dealing with chronic illnesses such as cancer. Interestingly, while the Frosty module of our VR product directly targeted hot flashes, our findings indicate its effectiveness with psychological factors as well. This further elucidates the mind–body connection and its veracity in chronic disorders. Physical symptoms do not exist on their own but rather are deeply connected and influenced by emotional, cognitive, and behavioral well-being.

The effectiveness of VR can be attributed to several factors, most notably the vividness of experience provided by this tool, which enables patients to not only think about their symptoms or employ traditional exposure techniques commonly used in psychotherapy but actually to work with a very tangible, physical experience and witness its change moment to moment. Importantly, patients expressed very high satisfaction (97%) with the VR product, and the vast majority stated that they would use Frosty daily if it were available to them. These results reveal the high applicability of VR products among cancer patients. As VR technology becomes gradually more available, and as prices become more affordable, VR may become a treatment of choice for a variety of medical care providers.

In this study, we also assessed a rather neglected question in the VR literature pertaining to the heterogeneity of treatment response. More specifically, we examined whether patients’ age, as well as their pretreatment psychological well-being, were associated with the degree to which they had benefited from VR. Interestingly, the effect of Frosty seemed to be age related, with a significant improvement in sleep quality among younger patients. This may be attributed to several factors, including younger patients’ increased familiarity and comfort with advanced technology compared with their older counterparts. In addition, younger age may be associated with lower cancer chronicity, which can in turn impede recovery. As for initial level of psychopathology, only women with pre-VR elevated psychopathology levels reported that the amount of time it took them to fall asleep grew shorter from before to after using Frosty. Sleep and psychopathology were found to be interrelated in numerous studies. Thus, it may be that sleep disturbances were particularly relevant among those patients who had previous emotional difficulties and that these subjects particularly benefited from this aspect of VR treatment and needed it the most. The question of what works for whom in both medical and psychological practice is gradually becoming the center of attention in intervention studies. Numerous other factors (e.g., personality traits, biological markers, cognitive styles) are likely to play a role in VR treatment response and should be the focus of future studies.

The most significant limitations of this study are the lack of a control group, a relatively modest sample size, and the use of self-report measures as well as a short intervention with no follow-up assessment. As VR is an emerging therapeutic field, there is still much room for larger studies based on more sophisticated methodologies, most notably rigorous randomized controlled clinical trials (for specific methodological observations.

Nonetheless, this pilot study provides highly encouraging preliminary evidence for the potential and promise of VR as a therapeutic intervention for hot flashes and accompanying psychological and physical difficulties. VR is easy to use, both at the clinic and at one’s own home. It provides a vivid environment that enables the patient to quickly develop real-life skills and coping strategies, which are highly important when dealing with serious illness. Both physicians and mental health professionals are encouraged to further explore and utilize this unique tool for the treatment of cancer patients, as well as other vulnerable populations.