A soft train ride through calm landscapes. Gentle music. The option to open a virtual suitcase filled with personal memories. It may sound like a game, but for patients undergoing chemotherapy, it is becoming something much more: a way to make time pass faster when every minute counts.

This is the idea behind Track of Time, a virtual reality application developed by the University of Milan together with Danish tech company Khora. The project explores whether altering the perception of time can improve the experience of chemotherapy, and early results suggest it can.

The system was tested on 30 breast cancer patients, each observed during two treatment sessions: one without VR and one while using the headset. The difference was striking. More than 90 percent of the patients said they enjoyed the experience, and over 85 percent found it genuinely helpful. Most reported that time seemed to go by much faster, and many said they thought less about the treatment itself while immersed in the virtual journey.

Equally important, the technology proved easy and safe to use. Three out of four participants had never tried VR before, yet few experienced side effects such as dizziness or nausea.

Researcher Federica Cavaletti explains the logic behind the experiment: “We can’t shorten chemotherapy in real terms, but we can change how it feels. If patients experience it as shorter, the emotional burden is lighter.”

The team now hopes the technology will be adopted more widely in hospitals, helping patients not only endure therapy but regain a sense of control during one of the most difficult moments of their lives.