Effects of psychological interventions in cancer survivors: A review

Abstract

Introduction: During the past decades early detection and effective cancer treatments have produced an increase in the number of cancer survivors. This represents a large group of patients susceptible to psychological, physical and social impairments after cancer treatment.Objective: To review the literature on the effects of psychological therapies in the management of psychological and / or somatic symptoms of cancer survivors. Method: A review of the literature reported in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and MedicLatina Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection in the period January 2009 to December 2013 was conducted. Results: 24 articles were identified. Only 22 met the selection criteria; in 2 cases no access to the full articles was obtained, so only 19 were included. Statistically significant effects were identified in sleep difficulties, emotional symptoms, fatigue, quality of life, and post menopausal symptoms. Effect sizes were mostly small to moderate ranging from 0.00 - 1.40.Conclusions: The effects of most psychological interventions were positive whether independent or in combination with other treatment modalities. Interventions via telephone and online therapeutic modalities also showed positive results.

Keywords

• Cáncer
• efectividad terapéutica
• terapias psicológicas
• supervivientes.