The impact of short-term psycho-oncological interventions on the psychological outcome of cancer patients of a surgical-oncology department - A randomised controlled study

BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depression are the two most frequent comorbidities of tumour patients. At present, it is unclear to which degree a patient's psychological condition can be altered during the treatment period and if psycho-oncological support positively affects a patient's psychological condition. METHODS: In a random sample analyses, 131 patients beginning inpatient treatment at a hospital specialising in surgical oncology were either classified as 'low-risk' or 'high-risk', according to the HADS. Patients from both categories were then randomly placed in either a low-threshold 'intervention' group or an 'observation' group. Anxiety and depression levels were measured again with the HADS scale prior to the patients discharge from the department of surgical oncology, and at a follow up 12months after. RESULTS: Our findings showed a significant reduction of anxiety and depression in the high-risk patients who had undergone psycho-oncological intervention at the end of inpatient care and even a year after discharge from the hospital. The effects of psychological intervention could be observed in terms of anxiety and depression in the group of high-risk patients during the hospital stay. In the other three groups, no statistically significant changes could be measured. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients on a surgical ward benefit from psycho-oncological support especially at an early stage of therapy but also over a long time after discharge from the hospital. The aim of all interventions should be to decrease psychological distress and disorders and thereby improve the quality of life for cancer patients