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Study Suggests a New Therapy Approach to Help Cancer Patients


A chart that demonstrates how cognitive behavioral therapy intervenes in negative patterns of thought, feeling and action.

Cancer isn’t easy to fight. Apart from the physical toll, it can stretch patients’ energy, finances and relationships. All these factors and more can worsen patients’ mental health. Therapy can be a useful tool for managing emotions, pain and fatigue. A new study shows how it can help improve cancer treatment outcomes.

How Stepped Collaborative Care May Improve Cancer Patients’ Lives

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supported this study. It suggests a better way to use therapy as part of cancer treatment plans. The study compared two methods of integrating therapy into cancer treatment:

  • Standard care: This type of care involved 3 steps. First, a patient’s cancer care team screened for symptoms of mental health problems. Then, if symptoms were present, the patient received a referral to a specialist. Finally, the patient arranged an appointment with the specialist. Depending on their healthcare plan, patients may have had to pay out of pocket for therapy.
  • Stepped collaborative care: With this approach, cancer care teams integrated therapy as a routine part of treatment at no additional cost. In the study, doctors evaluated patients every 4 weeks and made adjustments to care as needed. For example, if a patient’s symptoms worsened, the doctor could prescribe medicine, too. This care approach aimed to improve patient outcomes by providing continual mental health support.

By integrating therapy into routine cancer care, the study sought to improve the common cancer symptoms of depression, pain and fatigue. Lead researcher Dr. Jennifer Steel argues that stepped collaborative care can improve patient outcomes and even save them money. But how?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Cancer Care

All patients in the NCI study who engaged in therapy received cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). With up to 6 months of CBT, patients learned strategies to cope with symptoms, relax, exercise and change their thinking.

It’s important work: Cancer patients may undergo acute levels of stress over the course of diagnosis and treatment. Long-term stress (like that of fighting a serious disease) can result in a host of related health issues. Stress may even worsen patients’ cancer, according to some studies, which makes treating it all the more important.

The study evaluated patients’ “emotional, functional, and physical well-being” over a year. Those who received stepped collaborative care performed better across the board. They also had fewer emergency room visits and shorter hospital stays. Dr. Steel suggests that making stepped collaborative care the new standard could help save money for patients and hospitals alike.

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

CBT is a highly structured and practical form of talk therapy. It helps teach patients tools to navigate their own patterns of thought, feeling and action. With their therapists’ help, patients set specific, achievable goals to develop healthier patterns.

Here are some CBT techniques for cancer patients to use when a negative thought arises:

  • Observe it.
  • Take note of what might have brought it about.
  • See how the thought feels in your body.
  • Question if there’s anything useful in it or not.
  • Practice deep breathing to relax your body and lessen the intensity of the thought and feeling.

If you have cancer and want to learn ways to approach your thinking differently, consider finding a therapist who specializes in CBT.

The Importance of Accessibility

In the study, only 4% of patients receiving standard care started working with a therapist, versus 75% of those receiving stepped collaborative care. Several stepped care participants noted that access to the therapy factored into their decision. The researchers achieved this in a few ways:

  • The care team invited patients to start therapy instead of patients seeking it out on their own.
  • Therapists and doctors worked together and adapted treatment as a team so patients didn’t have to relay information back and forth.
  • Therapy was available via telehealth.
  • Therapy was free to patients.

Further research into how accessibility affects mental health outcomes in cancer patients may result in cancer care teams integrating therapy in a more intentional way.

Cancer Counseling and Other Mental Health Tools

Many studies have shown how helpful CBT can be for cancer patients. But it’s far from the only mental health tool available. If you or a loved one is battling cancer, including mesothelioma, consider these options to help you manage this difficult time:

Managing emotions and mental well-being is an important part of healthcare. And it can reap benefits on your physical health along the way. Look into some of these self-care practices to take better care of your mind and body.