Effectiveness of virtual delivery of cancer education for patients: a systematic review

Patient education is critical to effective cancer care; however, many patients experience unmet informational needs due to a lack of accessible, reliable, and comprehensible resources. Virtual education programs have emerged as a promising approach to help patients gain information about their condition. This systematic review with narrative synthesis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual cancer education in terms of knowledge translation and patient satisfaction.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases from database inception to April 2025. Studies were screened and data were extracted by two independent reviewers (B.M. and D.S.). Studies that evaluated knowledge translation and patient satisfaction with the virtual intervention were included.

The search identified 454 studies, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria, including 10 randomized controlled trials. The virtual interventions primarily focused on educating patients about their disease and anti-cancer treatment options, with 17 studies (81%) using web-based interventions, and the remaining studies were delivered via phone, email, or text messaging. Seventeen (81%) studies reported a positive impact of virtual education on knowledge translation, with 9 reporting increased self-efficacy, 3 demonstrating improved informed decision-making, and 3 showing enhanced patient participation during medical consultations. By contrast, 3 studies (14.3%) found no significant effect on knowledge translation. Nine studies (42.9%) provided additional information on psychosocial impact, revealing overall positive effects on emotional well-being and reduced distress. Fourteen studies (67%) reported high patient satisfaction with the virtual intervention, while 6 (28.6%) suggested room for improvement in usability and design.

Virtual education effectively enhances cancer-specific knowledge and is generally well-received by patients, providing a valuable alternative to in-person sessions. However, variability in outcomes highlights the need for further research into the development of personalized, interactive, and comprehensive approaches to optimize virtual education programs.