Scientists at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center have demonstrated VR’s effectiveness in managing cancer pain while developing a new method for measuring pain objectively. Their study, published in Scientific Reports, used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to analyze brain activity and classify pain into three levels: mild, moderate, and severe.

The research team worked with three distinct groups: healthy participants without VR exposure, cancer patients using VR, and cancer patients without VR intervention. All participants wore wireless fNIRS headgear to monitor their brain activity. The VR group experienced “Oceania,” a nine-minute relaxation program on Meta Quest, with pain levels measured before and after the session.

The results were impressive: over 75% of patients reported pain reduction exceeding 30% — a threshold considered clinically meaningful. The team’s pain classification model achieved 74% accuracy in predicting pain intensity based on brain activity. Additionally, they observed significant changes in brain connectivity, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, which handles cognitive functions and emotional regulation.