Evaluation of the Impact of the Use of Hypnotherapy Performed by a Virtual Reality Toolalong the Care Pathway of Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Treatment.

The use of virtual reality (VR) technology as a non-pharmacological tool has developed public interest in improving the control of certain adverse effects induced by chemotherapy. A few small studies suggest that the use of VR during chemotherapy helps reduce anxiety, fatigue and nausea and vomiting. Schneider showed improvement in stress-related symptoms such as anxiety in children aged 10 years and older receiving chemotherapy treatment during a VR session. A similar study showed a reduction in anxiety in patients receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer treatment coupled with VR. Dr. Hoffman is recognized as a pioneer in the use of VR, which he has proven to be effective in the care of burn patients, coupled with a technique that some have called VR analgesia. He has demonstrated that this technology used in this setting is a novel non-pharmacological approach to improving pain control. Our project involves the use of a VR module associated with an application delivering hypnotherapy combined with cognitive behavioral therapy that could help improve the adverse effects attributable to chemotherapy. The hypnotherapy that has been shown to be medically effective since its discovery by Mesmer is Ericksonian hypnosis. It usually involves an exchange between the therapist and the patient over a period of time. marked (suggestion, induction, fascination, dissociation, amplification) which has evolved in our institution in a less elaborate form called "conversational hypnosis". In this context, VR hypnotherapy appears to be a promising alternative. To date, there are a few studies that demonstrate the reduction of anxiety through the use of this tool during the application of PACs and pick-lines. The innovation of this study is to report the effects of a combination of hypnotherapy using VR through a program aimed at modifying the experience of adverse effects due to PAC and chemotherapy in the care pathway of breast cancer patients. It will also be compared to what is called in our institution and practiced routinely: conversational hypnosis which is not Ericksonian hypnosis strictly speaking but because of the parameters mentioned above: time, human resources load has become a simple benevolent conversation that welcomes the patient in every step of his care.