CLINICAL PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Psycho-oncology, as the specialty aiming at studying the psychological, social and spiritual factors that affect the quality of life of cancer patients and their loved ones, has today a specific and unquestionable role in the multidisciplinary approach to cancer. This role has been declined, in several countries, through the development of psycho-oncology services, programs and/or departments with the mission of providing specific activities in terms of clinical care, education and research. Furthermore, guidelines and recommendations on psychosocial care in cancer have been developed and endorsed by the national scientific societies of psycho-oncology as well as by advocacy movements. The main aims of the book are: 1) to present the significant and challenging clinical problems encountered when caring for cancer patients and their families, including assessment, diagnosis and treatment; 2) to describe the best responses to these challenges, summarizing the evidence base and digesting clinical experience where evidence from clinical trials is lacking; 3) to discuss the emerging themes in psycho-oncology, such as genetic counselling, bioethics, cultural issues and cultural diversity; 4) to provide practical suggestions for dealing with special populations, such as children, the elderly, long-term survivors or mentally ill patients. The book is designed to be easy to read and to reference, with information clearly displayed in concise tables and boxes accompanied by further detail within the text. The editors aim to provide an indispensable tool for junior doctors in training in either psychiatry, psychology or oncology, general practitioners, community psychiatric nurses, palliative care physicians and other members of the multidisciplinary team (with a Foreword by the pioneer in psycho-oncology, Professor Jimmie Holland)