Psychological interventions during breast cancer rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial comparing structured short-term psychotherapy versus non-specific group discussion
Abstract Purpose Psycho-oncological treatment is recommended in cancer rehabilitation as it improves fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in breast cancer patients. The aim of our study was to compare a structured short-term psychotherapy and a non-specific group discussion provided dur...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-11-01
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Series: | BMC Cancer |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-11576-w |
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author | David Fauser Elena Rimalis-Vogt Johannes Mattes Matthias Bethge |
author_facet | David Fauser Elena Rimalis-Vogt Johannes Mattes Matthias Bethge |
author_sort | David Fauser |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract Purpose Psycho-oncological treatment is recommended in cancer rehabilitation as it improves fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in breast cancer patients. The aim of our study was to compare a structured short-term psychotherapy and a non-specific group discussion provided during breast cancer rehabilitation. Methods Breast cancer patients were randomly assigned to structured group short-term psychotherapy or a non-specific group discussion during breast cancer rehabilitation. The patients completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of rehabilitation and three months after rehabilitation. The primary outcome was anxiety. Secondary outcomes were depression, distress, fatigue and health-related quality of life domains. Results In total, 160 patients (80 in both groups) were recruited and included in the analysis. There was no significant difference between both groups in the primary outcome anxiety at the end of rehabilitation (difference = -0.2; 95% CI -1.2 to 0.7) and three months after rehabilitation (difference = 0.2; 95% CI -0.9 to 1.3) and in any secondary outcome. Patients in the short-term psychotherapy group with high anxiety levels at baseline reported fewer depressive symptoms at the end of rehabilitation. Conclusions Our study showed no difference between structured short-term psychotherapy and a non-specific group discussion. Patients with high baseline anxiety levels were more likely to benefit from short-term structured psychotherapy. Early identification of this subgroup and symptoms of mental illness should occur after initial treatment in breast cancer patients in order to offer a structured treatment for anxiety and depressive symptoms during rehabilitation. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00017571; 08/07/2019). |
first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:05:36Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-1a01dd13a0c64f66bf68b7d6b1bd71fe |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1471-2407 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:05:36Z |
publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
publisher | BMC |
record_format | Article |
series | BMC Cancer |
spelling | doaj.art-1a01dd13a0c64f66bf68b7d6b1bd71fe2023-11-26T13:37:39ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072023-11-0123111210.1186/s12885-023-11576-wPsychological interventions during breast cancer rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial comparing structured short-term psychotherapy versus non-specific group discussionDavid Fauser0Elena Rimalis-Vogt1Johannes Mattes2Matthias Bethge3Institute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of LübeckVAMED Rehaklinik AhrenshoopVAMED Rehaklinik AhrenshoopInstitute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of LübeckAbstract Purpose Psycho-oncological treatment is recommended in cancer rehabilitation as it improves fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in breast cancer patients. The aim of our study was to compare a structured short-term psychotherapy and a non-specific group discussion provided during breast cancer rehabilitation. Methods Breast cancer patients were randomly assigned to structured group short-term psychotherapy or a non-specific group discussion during breast cancer rehabilitation. The patients completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of rehabilitation and three months after rehabilitation. The primary outcome was anxiety. Secondary outcomes were depression, distress, fatigue and health-related quality of life domains. Results In total, 160 patients (80 in both groups) were recruited and included in the analysis. There was no significant difference between both groups in the primary outcome anxiety at the end of rehabilitation (difference = -0.2; 95% CI -1.2 to 0.7) and three months after rehabilitation (difference = 0.2; 95% CI -0.9 to 1.3) and in any secondary outcome. Patients in the short-term psychotherapy group with high anxiety levels at baseline reported fewer depressive symptoms at the end of rehabilitation. Conclusions Our study showed no difference between structured short-term psychotherapy and a non-specific group discussion. Patients with high baseline anxiety levels were more likely to benefit from short-term structured psychotherapy. Early identification of this subgroup and symptoms of mental illness should occur after initial treatment in breast cancer patients in order to offer a structured treatment for anxiety and depressive symptoms during rehabilitation. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00017571; 08/07/2019).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-11576-wBreast cancerPsychological interventionsShort-term psychotherapyRehabilitationRandomized controlled trial |
spellingShingle | David Fauser Elena Rimalis-Vogt Johannes Mattes Matthias Bethge Psychological interventions during breast cancer rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial comparing structured short-term psychotherapy versus non-specific group discussion BMC Cancer Breast cancer Psychological interventions Short-term psychotherapy Rehabilitation Randomized controlled trial |
title | Psychological interventions during breast cancer rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial comparing structured short-term psychotherapy versus non-specific group discussion |
title_full | Psychological interventions during breast cancer rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial comparing structured short-term psychotherapy versus non-specific group discussion |
title_fullStr | Psychological interventions during breast cancer rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial comparing structured short-term psychotherapy versus non-specific group discussion |
title_full_unstemmed | Psychological interventions during breast cancer rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial comparing structured short-term psychotherapy versus non-specific group discussion |
title_short | Psychological interventions during breast cancer rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial comparing structured short-term psychotherapy versus non-specific group discussion |
title_sort | psychological interventions during breast cancer rehabilitation a randomized controlled trial comparing structured short term psychotherapy versus non specific group discussion |
topic | Breast cancer Psychological interventions Short-term psychotherapy Rehabilitation Randomized controlled trial |
url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-11576-w |
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