Management of patients with Oncology disorder One cover page Three pages of content and references
Management of Patients with Oncology Disorder
The physical impacts of oncology disorders influence the mental well-being of patients. Based on the relationship between mental well-being and immunity, this paper explores existing research on integrating psychotherapeutic interventions in managing patients with oncology disorders. It seeks to determine whether psychotherapy improves care outcomes for oncology patients.
Oncology disorders affect how the body’s systems function. Various aspects of oncology disorders have a severe impact on the mental wellness of the patient and the people around them. One of the significant symptoms of oncology disorders, regardless of their severity, is chronic pain. A systematic review by ishakIshak et al. (2018) found that there existed a neurobiological link between experiencing physical pain and emotional distress. People diagnosed with cancers have reduced social functioning and risk of social isolation (Coughlin, 2019). Isolation is a known risk factor for anxiety, severe depression, fear, drug abuse, and the development of suicidal thoughts.
Relieving adverse mental outcomes helps manage oncologic pain and improve the patient’s patient’s quality of life. Pharmacological therapy is one of the primary methods used in the management of cognitive outcomes in patients with oncology disorders. Pharmacological treatments such as the use of antidepressants (ADs) provide a safe and effective method of managing severe major depression in cancer patients (Grassi et al., 2018). However, there exist concerns over the side effects of majorly used ADs, the risk of drug interactions with cancer medications, and patient pharmacological experiences.
Psychotherapeutic interventions are being adopted for the management of cancer-related mental disorders to improve cancer outcomes for patients. Molecular, cellular, and clinical studies have linked psychological stress factors to immune suppression with an impact on the management of cancer (Antoni & Dhabhar, 2019). Psychotherapy is a non-pharmacological approach that has been applied in the management of mental distress and depression in patients with oncology disorders. It involves talking with the patients to help them overcome their psychological distress. Psychotherapeutic methods include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy, and supportive therapy (Primeau, 2018). Based on the application of psychotherapy in the management of depression and other mental illnesses, it is arguable that psychotherapy can be applied in the management of patients with oncology disorders with notable outcomes.
Methods
A database search was carried out in PubMed specifically for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Focus was paid to RCTs on the application of any form of psychotherapy in patients with various severity levels of cancer. A methodology review was conducted to ensure the quality of the articles included. Four clinical trials were selected based on the primary outcome of the intervention.
Results
One study applied meaning-centered group psychotherapy for patients. A second one applied Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) individual psychotherapy for patients. The RCT utilized physical and psychosocial training as an intervention, and the fourth study used Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Each of the RCTs reviewed demonstrated that when applied as an intervention, psychotherapy improved the quality of life for the patients, improved their emotional and spiritual well-being, and improved the ability of patients to cope with cancer. There was a notable reduction in anxiety and depression among all of the participants in the reviewed RCTs.
Discussion
Combining physical exercises and psychosocial training in children living with cancer improved bone mineral density. In addition, their health-related quality of life (HrQoL) also improved with time (Braam et al., 2018). Individual Meaning-Centered PsychoMeaning-Centered, when applied as an intervention for psychological and existential distress in patients with advanced cancer, showed significant positive outcomes when compared to other forms of care (Breitbart et al., 2018). The application Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) showed superior outcomes over regular care approaches in the management of depressive symptoms in patients with advanced cancer (Mehnert et al., 2020). The randomized controlled trial study by Park et al. (2020) focused on applying mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It showed that CBT could help manage psychological, physical, and spiritual distress in patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer.
The use of various psychotherapeutic approaches has a significant impact on depression and mental distress sy