Cleveland Clinic’s Maroone Cancer Center in Weston, Florida, offers immersive virtual reality during chemotherapy to help patients manage treatment-related distress. The centre made the technology available following a VeloSano-funded randomized trial, prioritising patients experiencing high levels of distress.
The system uses a head-mounted device to place patients in three-dimensional visual and auditory environments designed by the research team for relaxation and distraction from the treatment setting. Patients can choose from more than 20 soothing environments while listening to their preferred music.
Preliminary trial findings
A preliminary analysis presented at ASCO in 2025 covered 41 chemotherapy patients, with 19 assigned to VR and 22 to standard care. The VR group had a mean NCCN Distress Thermometer score reduction of 3.9 points, compared with 1.0 point in the control group. Mean wellbeing symptom scores decreased by 1.7 points in the VR group versus 0.2 point in the control group. Anxiety and pain differences were not statistically significant in that interim analysis.
Cleveland Clinic’s October 2026 account described the trial as enrolling 70 patients with high baseline anxiety. The centre reported acquiring several new VR systems following positive study results and making them available to patients.
