The virtual reality It is an area of ​​computing that has emerged as an eternal promise that will never cease to explode in commercial terms (at least in the mass market). However, its potential allows it to be used far beyond its home and entertainment uses, which is why some cancer charities, the University of Cambridge and some video game developers have decided to join forces to virtual reality can contribute to the fight against cancer.

The use of virtual reality in cancer treatment can allow doctors to explore different digital versions of a patient’s tumor instead of relying on a chart and/or X-ray. Harris himself, a video game designer from the University of Cambridge and a person involved in the project, said that “it’s much easier to notice the differences and notice the features and notice the oddities when you’re actually in something than when you’re looking at a chart or a photograph, you can see how a certain type of cell might be next to a blood vessel or a breast duct and that would could be important for the patient’s future prognosis“.

Tumors are shown in the virtual reality program as a matrix of colored dots, and we say colors in the plural because there are many different types of cancer cells and it also allows doctors to distinguish them from other types of tissue present in the area. studied.observation. In this way, doctors will have an additional perspective and the ability to interact with the model in order to more accurately diagnose and recommend the best treatment.

Funding for the program came from two leading cancer charities, UK Cancer Research and the US-based National Cancer Institute, through the Cancer Grand Challenges co-funding platform.

The use of virtual reality for medical purposes is not new in itself, but rather an approach that has been used for years in other fields such as orthodontics (dentists). In a given case, it would allow doctors to have a more accurate diagnosis to know more precisely what the best treatment is or how to approach surgery.